Footprints in Seven Continents Volume 3
Pausing our medical careers to find new perspectives in our post pandemic world
Lessons learned by two wide eyed wanderers Eric Weber MD FAAP Lan Vu Weber MS PA C
Copyright Symbol Illustration

copyright 2023 LanRic Journeys. All Rights Reserved

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Acknowledgements

To our families and friends who have constantly checked in on us during our travels thank you so much for your loving support Navigating unknown lands cultures and customs is not a simple task but it was certainly easier because we had you our cheerleaders behind us
To all the people we have met along the way regardless of how long or short our time together you have left an impact on us in more ways than you will ever know For this we are forever grateful
To our celebrity crushes utmost respect to Anthony Bourdain Jane Goodall David Attenborough and Bear Grylls to name a few Thank you for your work You have inspired us to live outside our comfort zones

Son Doong Cave, Quang Binh, VN

Dedication

We created this website to provide full free access of our book to all readers as our goal is to simply share what we learned
However if you d like to purchase the Kindle version on Amazon 100 of the proceeds from each volume will go to a charitable organization which supports one of the countries in this volume
Volume Three s earnings will go to Save the Children organization in Cambodia which works closely with government and nonprofit partners to improve children s lives especially those living with disabilities children in contact with the law orphaned vulnerable and disadvantaged children Having to leave the country during the brutal Khmer Rouge regime these natives have returned since 1979 to provide much needed relief to the worst affected families
Amazon.Com
Heartbeat Icon
Link to STC

Kampong Phluk, Cambodia

always moving Foreward

Analytical yet easily distracted appreciative of routine but craving adventure No my wife Lan and I probably would not have the discipline to be professional writers Nor do we possess the limitless spontaneity to turn traveling into a permanent career But as the worst of the COVID 19 pandemic seemed to have passed in our homeland we were struck by a heightened awareness of the unpredictability of life Vowing never to let our dreams pass us by the two of us made a daunting decision Now would be the time to temporarily hang up our white coats pool our savings and live out our long discussed goal of exploring all seven continents This was purely an amateur expedition Our ridiculous plan to cram a world tour of over 40 countries into just 18 months stemmed from a desire to return to our regular lives as medical professionals with regular paychecks The stunning photos that Lan captured using nothing more than a smartphone and a pocket tripod were meant to be memories for us and the notes which I jotted down each evening were to help us remember the many lessons we were discovering
The more we looked back on these recorded memories the more we realized just how much our collective insight had grown What had been intended to be short lighthearted reflections while navigating a year of lockdowns and border closings turned into sleepless nights as we tried to process heartbreaking histories origins of conflicts and global inequities while also soaking in the wonder of each brief but immersive glimpse into the many inspiring cultures traditions and landscapes that make our One World truly bright and beautiful
We later chose to compile these experiences into a photo memoir written through Lan s eyes These daily entries bounce between facts and intuitions past and present issues living souls and timeless artifacts anything we found impactful to us Though sporadic at times we have left them in their original order to remind us of the physical and intellectual path we took They do not tell the full story rather they provide a window into a world previously unknown to us a world which has shown us the unimaginable strength and good intentions of our fellow humans These encounters have deepened our perspective of the complexities of life and they have helped us alleviate judgment and open up discussions
We hope this book will help us to hold the lessons we learned close to our hearts and remind us how we have changed because of them so that looking back 30 years from now we will still feel the love that raged within us that year we chose to truly live beyond borders to take on a journey of a thousand lifetimes

Easter Island, Chile

Mexico City - part 1

Our Lessons

As we continued our walk through this beautiful world, it became clear that each country would find ways of completely surprising us. In Cuba, it had been the resilience, kindness, and generosity of its people, despite living with such limited resources, that truly captivated us. Now, as our plane descended into Mexico City, we were immediately taken aback by the unexpectedly modern sight of a sprawling metropolis with glistening skyscrapers.


"Wait, are you sure we are in Mexico?" joked Eric, as our air-conditioned Uber cruised along the city's well-maintained streets toward our downtown hotel. "This is definitely not the rugged, dusty landscape that Hollywood told me it would be! Look: I have free WiFi; Let me double-check our location!" Indeed, in 2021, Mexico City set a record for “the most public hotspots in a single free urban network”: a total of 21,500 Wi-Fi hotspots, which kept us connected at most parks, intersections, and popular streets—all without spending money on a SIM card! On top of that, transportation is easy, and rideshare apps are very accessible. We felt completely safe jogging through the different neighborhoods around the city center, as the streets were always busy and no one seemed to pay particular attention to us tourists. Truly, the more we experienced, the clearer it became: if our fellow Americans could just set foot in their southern neighbor's capital, 99% of the stereotypes they have about Mexico would quickly fade away.

Mexico City - part 2

Our Lessons

We strolled the pedestrian streets heading towards the grand Plaza de la Constitución, immersed in a delightful sensory barrage: We became one with a wave of hundreds of pedestrians, which swelled, then pushed through the center’s expansive intersections each time the Walk signal turned green. The sounds of countless chatting voices mixed with out-of-tune organillos playing on the street corners. The air was filled with smells of sweet and savory street food. Our eyes darted back and forth between the attention-catching colors of traditional art on display, positioned right next to modern abstract works—an impressive first encounter with the vast and modern Mexico City!


Though it was only the very beginning of December, and this place was fully ready for Christmas—even the city’s giant radio towers were decorated to look like massive Christmas trees. Oddly, most Christmas trees here seemed to have corporate sponsorship and were not afraid to show it: just about every cluster of decorations was riddled with the logos of well-known companies. The experience of winter festivities in hot weather was new for us; luckily, the Antara shopping mall made sure customers still got to enjoy a Christmas 'snowfall'—made of bubbles!

Mexico City - part 3

Our Lessons

Many of Mexico City’s downtown museums are free, making it easy for anyone to marvel at the works of famous artists like Rodin and Dali. However, I did not hesitate to pay a $13 USD entrance fee to see the living space and some of the best-known pieces of one of my favorite female artists: Frida Kahlo. The exhibit of her "Blue House" is not simply a collection of her belongings. Its presentation brings to life pieces of her personality; her strength; her emotions; her creativity; and her struggle. Frida Kahlo has not only become a hero in her homeland; she has become a global symbol of courage in the face of adversity—a genuine person who remained true to her convictions.

To this day, Mexico City stands out in our minds for its great food. In fact, even the fast-food chains had excellent flavors and service! Our favorite fast-food spot was La Casa de Toño, featuring pozole soup: a flavorful mix of meat, vegetables, spices, and maíz cacahuacintle, which is a type of large-kernel corn. The soup has the familiar aroma of tacos, and you can eat it with taco shells. For breakfast, Eric loved ordering the hardy chilaquiles: a blend of chicken, fresh cheese, green and red salsa, poured over crisp tortilla slices and eaten with a fork. For dinner, his hands-down favorite was the enchiladas with brown mole poblano sauce, which contains a hint of chocolate flavoring. We needed to save room, though, because freshly made churros could be found on just about every street corner.


Our favorite drink: the michelada: Tomato-based, like a bloody Mary, but mixed with beer instead. It is best enjoyed on the hectic streets of Tepito, in a giant cup, dipped in tamarind sauce and colored sprinkles. If this does not sound sweet enough, most vendors add a wooden skewer with gummy candies—what a unique combination!

Mexico City - part 4

Our Lessons

Mexico City - part 5

Our Lessons

“Tepito” is known as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Mexico City. It is an enclave within the city, with its own traditions, customs, and unwritten "laws." We were very curious about this place, so we asked a local to show us around safely. Being guided through Tepito’s incredibly bustling and maze-like markets was fascinating, and surprisingly, it did not feel intimidating during the day. We were told it is much more important to know which alleyways to avoid in this neighborhood, which is why having a local with us is so crucial. As Anthony Bourdain put it, Tepito is a place of many “levels.” Superficially, its markets are very fun to walk around. You can literally find anything here... including delicious street food (both fast and gourmet options), booming music with welcoming locals partying in the streets, and of course lots of cheap shopping. Many of the items for sale are either counterfeit... or stolen. Particularly attractive are the rows of watches of every high-end brand, glistening in the fluorescent lights of dozens of vendor stands, packed side-by-side.


Below the surface, however, we are told that drugs, guns, and prostitution are just steps away—and we did indeed observe a number of carefully "guarded" doors, as well as the police putting someone in handcuffs! Even our tour guide had her own scary story to share with us: she was once robbed at gunpoint while selling goods in this market. Locals comment that corruption runs deep here, and it is said that even the authorities are involved in black-market activities. With limited opportunities out of poverty and the relatively easy prospect of trafficking illegal goods, it is not hard to imagine how someone in dire straits might choose this path in life.


Thus, in Tepito, working in organized crime has become part of the culture—and even religion! Here, devout Catholics worship a unique “patron saint”: Santa Muerte (the Saint of Death). This unofficial saint is visibly exalted at several altars along the streets. Each altar houses a regally-dressed skeleton—surrounded by offerings of candles, cigarettes, and beer. ‘Outcast’ members of this society pray to Santa Muerte, who is thought to provide protection to all believers, regardless of their deeds.


Hearing stories such as this, one starts to wonder how corruption and quality of life might improve in Mexico if drug cartels suddenly lost funding from their largest 'customer': the United States. Those in support of legalizing and taxing drugs in the U.S. point to the resulting collapse of crime associated with organized drug cartels as one of the benefits of doing so.

Mexico City - part 6

Our Lessons

Unfortunately, like in many parts of the world, corrupt behaviors such as bribery have become expected 'norms' in parts of Mexico. Once such practices have become so integrated into the system, it is difficult to generate meaningful change. Today, even getting into a noble profession such as teaching requires under-the-table ‘gifts’ to school executives. Furthermore, it is reported that new teachers can be 'grandfathered in,' requiring no exam and no official licensing (i.e., with zero evaluation of knowledge on the subject one will be teaching!).


In 2013, Mexico's former president instituted a massive “education reform” campaign for the public school system to address this disconcerting issue. Changes included the roll-out of standardized exams for teachers to maintain their qualifications. Consequently, one tour guide told us that over 1,000 teachers lost their jobs when they were unable to pass their exams after 3 tries! Incredibly, the reforms and mandatory-testing policy were subsequently eliminated in 2019 by Mexico's current president—who secured his election victory in large part due to political and financial support from the teacher's unions.


On the topic of money: Who would have thought that along a random city block, we would meet the world-famous silversmith of Leonardo DiCaprio? Rafael Córdova is best known for having designed DiCaprio's rings for the movie Romeo and Juliet. DiCaprio visited Rafael's silver factory while on a tour of Mexico City, and he admired his work so much that he asked Rafael to be his designer. Since then, Rafael has produced replicas of other famous pieces... including my personal favorite, the enormous Heart of the Ocean gem from Titanic! Having this beauty around my neck for even a few minutes helps me understand why Rose thought this necklace was too heavy to wear!

Mexico City - part 7

Our Lessons

Organillos: giant, manually-cranked music boxes, played on the streets of Mexico City. This is truly an odd tradition, with a bright past but a sad future. Around the end of the 19th century, Germany reportedly gifted these portable organs to Mexico. During this time of musical and artistic renaissance, they became a beloved part of Mexican culture. In the absence of radio, professional organilleros attracted huge crowds in parks and public spaces, where people loved to relax to their soothing tunes. Over time, however, other forms of music overtook the popularity of these boxes, which have become too expensive to repair and can get damaged with even a few drops of rain! Now, it is said all of the organillos that remain are horribly out of tune. Nonetheless, these 75-pound machines, and the art of playing them, have been passed down from generation to generation. The professional organilleros continue to don their vintage khaki suits and classic hats for 12 hours a day, making a bleak living off of increasingly sparse donations (mostly from the nostalgic elderly population). We are told that younger generations hate the screeching sounds of the off-tune organs and that they no longer recognize the old tunes. The more out-of-tune the organillo gets, the more it is despised, and the fewer donations the organillero receives (a vicious cycle). Unfortunately, for prideful musicians struggling to make ends meet, switching jobs is a difficult step to take—particularly if they have known no other craft their entire lives.

Mexico City - part 8

Our Lessons

Mexico City, it turns out, is literally sinking. This sprawling metropolitan area of 26 million people (the 2nd largest in the world) sits on the ruins of the former Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, which was destroyed by the Spanish conquistadors. Google an image of Tenochtitlan, and one will find a gorgeous city that almost resembles Venice: a series of islands and canals, built in the center of a huge lake. The lake was eventually filled in by colonizers, and Mexico City grew massively in size... but just like Venice, it is now facing the consequences of the construction of heavy structures and the removal of groundwater from soft soil—such as the use of drinking wells. The shifting ground is visibly apparent in the city's old sidewalks and roads, which were obviously crooked as we walked along the historic center! Our tour guide stopped at various moments to show us older structures, which have sunken over time by more than one meter!


2021 predictions state that Mexico City will continue to sink, up to 65 to 100 feet over the next 150 years! This is a slow, uneven process that depends on the firmness of the soil in each spot—meaning that buildings, pipes, and infrastructure will tilt and break at points where ground settling occurs unevenly. Unfortunately, wells reportedly account for 70% of Mexico City's water supply, especially in low-socioeconomic areas; therefore, putting a halt to groundwater extraction is just not feasible. Furthermore, there have been no successful attempts in history to reverse ground settling by adding the removed water back (formerly loose clay, once dried and packed under the pressure of heavy buildings, does not re-expand when water is added). Worse still is the current lack of government momentum to address the problem, since the state may feasibly be able to fund gradual repairs to public structures, as needed. Mexican citizens, on the other hand, will have to fend for themselves, as the vast majority have no insurance for their privately owned homes. It is startling to think about the prospect of home collapses, broken pipes, and subsequently contaminated water supplies that may occur in time. However, given the slow-and-steady rate of occurrence, there is currently no unifying public support, or even awareness, about the necessity for intervention.


We learned that one possible alternative source of water could be recycling. Many countries and cities are now implementing water reclamation programs, which collect and recycle up to 100% of households' used water. Rather than being discarded, technology now exists to process and purify even the dirtiest sewage into ultra-clean drinking water. Places where this has been successfully implemented include California, Las Vegas, and Singapore. Water reclamation technology has become one of the cheapest and cleanest ways of maintaining sustainable water, and we wonder if it could be part of a successful solution for Mexico.

Mexico City - part 9

Our Lessons

Do you believe in miracles? The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the second most-visited church in the entire world (second only to the Vatican). The reason: it houses an original image of the Virgin Mary, one which has “never aged” since it appeared on a man’s cloak in 1531. As the story goes, the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego, a man of Aztec descent, and asked him to build a shrine. In return, Mary’s spirit told Juan she would cure his ailing uncle. Juan presented his story to the town's bishop, who did not believe him and asked for proof. In response, the Virgin Mary guided Juan to find a garden of roses (an impossible task during the winter). Juan collected and brought the roses to the bishop, carrying them in his cloak. When he releases the roses, a perfect image of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared on the cloak. This imprint on the original cloak remains on display to this day, reportedly in its exact same condition, 500 years later. The story of this miracle was spread far and wide, and it is said to have galvanized the mass conversion of a huge portion of the Americas' indigenous population to Catholicism.


Staring up at the 5-and-1/2-foot-tall image behind the alter of the Basilica was quite the spectacle: the image has been mounted in such a way that tourists can stand on a conveyor belt and glide past it, allowing for a close-up view from below, all while church services are simultaneously taking place.


It was an honor to be present alongside people who literally pilgrimaged from half a world away, specifically to receive a blessing at this sacred shrine. We witnessed people bringing statues, food, pictures of loved ones, and all sorts of household objects into the church to be blessed! The church itself is massive, and it has a very warm, inviting, and ‘international’ feel. Flags from many countries hang to the left of the altar—a strikingly modern design, especially when compared to the centuries-old original Basilica next door. This original church is situated just several meters away, but it can no longer be occupied due to its shifting ground (a ‘leaning tower’ of Mexico City, as featured on the previous page!).


The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe lives in as many churches in Mexico as it does in the U.S.—just one example of the similar things that Mexicans and Americans hold most dear. I guess we are more alike than our divisive news media wants us to think after all.

Teotihuacan - part 1

Our Lessons

On our recent visit to the Great Pyramids of Egypt, we were treated to an exuberance of knowledge about Egyptians’ 4,000-year-old civilization—in fact, modern humans have gathered so much information about ancient Egypt that historians and tour guides acquire a specialized university degree on the subject, known as Egyptology.


In stark contrast, today's archaeologists know relatively little about the largest pyramids of Mexico, despite their easily accessible location less than an hour away from the center of Mexico City. Even the name, “Teotihuacan,” is not the true name of the ancient city on which these pyramids were built; rather, Teotihuacan was the name given to it by the Aztec empire when they first found the abandoned city in the 1400s (not long before the arrival of the European conquistadors). Archaeologists continue to perform preliminary excavations on Teotihuacan to this day, and new discoveries are a fairly common occurrence. For instance, in 2017, archaeologists uncovered a tunnel under one of the pyramids that led to a miniature ‘model’ landscape, with tiny mountains and “lakes” made of liquid mercury. The tunnel’s walls were decorated with pyrite (fool’s gold), which reflects torch light in a way that creates the illusion of a sky dotted with stars.


Modern dating techniques reveal that the pyramids of Teotihuacan were completed ab300 C.E., long before the Aztecs. However, by 750 C.E., Teotihuacan was abandoned and reclaimed by the forest. Archaeologists have found evidence that some of the city’s major buildings were deliberately burned, suggesting an uprising or enemy invaders. Artifacts found here have features of various cultures known to Mesoamerica, including the Mayans, so it is proposed that Teotihuacan was an important trade center for travelers from distant lands. Overall, however, the collective findings at Teotihuacan reportedly do not fit any of the known Mexican cultures.

Teotihuacan - part 2

Our Lessons

Why, then, do modern archeologists think the mysterious citizens of Teotihuacan built these pyramids? Unlike the Egyptian pyramids, which served as tombs for royalty, it is now believed that Mexico's greatest pyramids were used as altars for ritual sacrifice of animals, and humans—a tradition that was well-documented by the Aztecs, who built similar pyramids over a millennium later.


The lack of available evidence about Teotihuacan's civilization has left plenty of opportunity for underqualified individuals to present their own embellished theories, many of which are only loosely based on facts. Honestly, the part we remember most about our tour here was sitting down at our computer back at the hotel, to fact-check the information our tour guide told us… only to discover that almost everything he said was either wrong or exaggerated!


For instance: it is true that the largest “Sun Pyramid” of Teotihuacan curiously has the same diameter as Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza (although it is only half as tall). Could mutual fascination with the stars and intricate knowledge of astronomy explain this? Perhaps; however, from here our guide proceeded on a fascinating tangent, in which he explained how the trio of pyramids found in both Giza and Teotihuacan are precisely aligned with the Orion's Belt constellation, “with an exact 23.5-degree offset.” His storytelling skills were captivating; his confidence and use of precise numbers made it sound all-the-more convincing. It was not until he began expounding on the 'scientific' theory of 'extraterrestrial' intervention that we began to raise an eyebrow...


Alas, in reality, neither trio of pyramids is aligned with a 23.5-degree offset, nor are they equally aligned with one another. This experience was a fascinating reminder of how easy it is to develop trust in someone who has learned to speak like an expert, but who lacks the right credentials! Without cell service, it also lent perspective on how difficult it was in the past to verify information "on-the-go," prior to the age of smartphones. Then again, perhaps the very comfort of being able to access purported “answers” with the mere tap of our fingers is slowly numbing our natural intuition—our ability to read or listen to something and say, “citation needed!”


One thing is certain: ancient human civilizations all around the world had an incredible understanding of mathematics and engineering. Instead of fantasizing about magical aliens, we feel inspired by the potential of our own human ingenuity!

Cape Town - part 1

Our Lessons

Of all the cities we have traveled to, Cape Town was unquestionably one with the greatest visible disparities. On one hand, its city center, bordering the pristine southwestern coast of Africa, is incredibly stunning. Modern skyscrapers are surrounded by crystal-blue waters and mountain landscapes. We spent hours roaming around the city's renowned Botanical Garden, which is arguably the most beautiful outdoor garden we have seen. It features a serene “canopy walk,” which snakes its way through and above the tree line, providing fantastic views of this land’s natural beauty. From here, we hustled past the iconic Table Mountain and ascended Lion’s Head peak, just in time to enjoy our first picturesque African sunset. Like a life-sized painting, the sun's rays pierced the ocean mist and bathed the distant cliffsides in brilliant orange.

Cape Town - part 2

Our Lessons

While living in the heart of downtown, we felt very safe navigating the city’s bustling streets on foot. As we walked around the Seaport, Waterfront, and other high-end areas, we encountered countless upscale bars and restaurants, featuring diverse cuisines from around the globe. However, it quickly became apparent to us that most of the customers here were white; whereas, most members of the workforce were black. A white tour guide pointed out that black workers may be overrepresented, due to affirmative action associated with “Black Economic Empowerment" (B.E.E.) policies implemented in 2003. He sourly noted that it had been impossible for him to find an alternative job during the pandemic, partly because of his skin color. However, a black tour guide reported that he had the same difficult experience. Interestingly, even the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a prominent black human-rights activist, expressed that B.E.E. policies unfortunately “benefit not the vast majority, but an elite that tends to be recycled.” For now, it is an objective fact that the majority of higher-class society remains white.


It is impossible to travel through South Africa without trying to understand its past and present history of apartheid: a concept which, we are told, originated not as a result of “hate,” but rather, as a result of "fear." While our tour guides of all colors were excited to share their country's complex history and current struggles with us foreigners, they all expressed the same wish: that more local white South Africans would attend their tours, because meaningful change will only gain momentum once their fear and prejudice are vanquished.


"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate; and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love… for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” ~Nelson Mandela

Cape Town - part 3

Our Lessons

On the opposite end of the social spectrum, the heartbreaking reality for 60% of Cape Town's population can be felt while passing through its many “townships." These are the current-day remains of legalized racial persecution, which had been forcibly implemented during the apartheid period.


Apartheid, a government-mandated law of segregation based on race, is not a centuries-old policy. In fact, before the 1940s, we learned that many people of South Africa had been living in racially diverse communities, forming interracial relationships and having interracial families. Sadly, it was at this moment in time that the prejudiced ruling "white" class concluded that they could not continue to live a life of privilege if the "non-white" population continued to grow, gained political influence, and began receiving equitable shares of resources and opportunities. To hide these unspoken motivations, white leaders instead pitched the idea of apartheid to voters as a means of “preserving cultures"—and since only whites had the right to vote at that time, this propaganda campaign was a success, allowing apartheid to be voted into law in 1948.


From then on, racial classes were physically separated in every possible way in South Africa. White leadership voted to forcibly remove all non-whites from centrally-located districts—including the prominent District 6, where homes were completely demolished. Non-whites were divided into groups such as “Blacks,” “Coloreds,” and “Cape Malays,” and they were forced to live in designated far-away outposts. These outposts became known as "townships,” and they were indeed far away from everything: including access to jobs, groceries, and even clean water. Interracial families were declared illegal; racially distinct husbands and wives were divided and forced to live in separate townships. As planned by the whites, this and other horrible acts of persecution resulted in barely-survivable living conditions and stripped away any and all opportunities for success.

Cape Town - part 4

Our Lessons

On an immersive walking tour led by township locals, we had the opportunity to gaze over the empty lot of the bulldozed District 6, as we made our way to yet another eye-opening experience in "Langa." The very first racially segregated township, Langa had been a socially divided “working colony” since 1923—and thus it served as a 'testing ground' for the government's future plan to implement apartheid. During that time, only men were allowed to live in these working colonies, leaving their wives and children behind to live in rural areas. Their dormitories consisted of small rooms, shared by 5 men at a time.


Although apartheid was repealed after Nelson Mandela’s presidency in 1994, Langa's appearance has changed relatively little. Sadly, the situation remains complicated: in general, the township populations have not shrunk in size, due to longstanding socioeconomic barriers. "Freedom" has been bittersweet: now, families are allowed to live together in Langa's old, subsidized dormitories—but for our tour guide, “living together” means he shares a single room with eight other people, in a “hostel”-style environment. Space is so lacking in the rooms, that household members often roll out a mat to sleep on the common kitchen floor in these barebones multi-family structures. We are told the government has offered to “renovate” these dormitories; however, the subsidized rental price of a “renovated” home would increase sevenfold!


Another complicated issue: as of the 1990s, people of all races may once again own their own property and run their own businesses… if they can afford it. However, most people who suffered under apartheid still cannot. The dissolution of economic divisions has been slow, due to lack of adequate schooling or certification of skills in the townships. These are critically missing assets for anyone seeking a higher-paying job. For instance, our tour guide taught himself to speak seven languages. He is a respected member of his community who has completed the "Xhosa" rites of manhood, for which he embraces core family values and treats all people, especially women, with dignity. In spite of his status as a community role model and having a "township" high school degree, he has had no success finding a higher-paying job in the city center. His school, he explained, was not ‘reputable’ enough, and being self-taught is of little value without a reputable degree. He explained to us that while all public schools are free, the reputable ones are located in the center of Cape Town. Getting accepted into one of these schools often involves bribery over merit and values—limiting these opportunities to the wealthy. Likewise, school transportation, university, and other forms of higher education are also not free.

An interesting fact about the “Xhosa” ethnic group, which makes up 17% of South Africans: we are told that every man, around the age of 18, has to undergo a circumcision ritual, in which they live in a camp outside their township, receiving instruction on how to behave as a respected adult. When they return, all their boyhood clothes are given away, and they are recognized as having been initiated into “manhood.” Only at this point are their voices recognized in their community, and only then are they allowed to get married. In fact, we saw some young men dressed sharply in suits despite the hot summer weather, indicating their recent transition to manhood.

Cape Town - part 5

Our Lessons

Combined with the issues highlighted above, high property costs closer to the city center make it even more impossible for the less wealthy to move into areas of opportunity. This has created a prototypical example of “systemic racism”: persistent economic entrapment, even though many legal barriers to building a better life have been removed. The privileged (in this case, white) class remains in the beautiful downtown; while the formerly oppressed remain tucked far away in the city outskirts. As one guide bluntly stated: "Apartheid is still alive and kicking today, but in South Africa, it's not so much between the whites and the blacks. It is between the Haves and the Have Nots. It is quickly becoming a worsening global problem."


A possible guiding light to this: some of Langa’s most “successful” citizens (with jobs in the city center as doctors, nurses, etc) have now bought and own property within their township. They drive nice cars and enjoy a relatively comfortable lifestyle. Instead of leaving, they remain in Langa due to their sense of community, and they give back by purchasing local goods and services.


Despite their hardship, the people in Langa were extremely friendly and welcomed us into their homes. They expressed their desire to increase this type of “cultural tourism,” to provide insight to outsiders. Even though they don’t have a lot of material possessions, they seem to be rich in community. We are told that no one would walk past without a smile or a friendly greeting. As our tour guide noted: “If you greet someone twice, they are no longer a stranger; they become a friend. This is something we are all taught from a young age.”

Cape Town - part 6

Our Lessons

A street lined with shacks patched together with sheet metal, wood, and an occasional boxcar… with existing electric wires pulled from adjacent permanent structures, spliced and snaked all over the roofs. These tin shacks serve as an additional room or even a business. Judging from its haphazard appearance, one might assume this is the most impoverished part of Langa township, but the contrary is true: Why live in one room with 8-15 people, when instead you can “save up” and “upgrade,” by building your own private space directly in front of your dormitory?


On our tour, we had the privilege of entering one such building which had been made into a tiny bar. Within the confines of four narrow walls constructed from scraps of corrugated tin, this poorly ventilated space contained only a couple of stools and a metal trash bin, which was used as a fire pit in the winter. We were greeted with a 5-liter tin can of umqombothi... a home-brewed beer made from corn, malt, yeast, and water. Traditionally, for a lack of glasses, everyone simply takes turns drinking from the same bucket of beer! These watering holes remain a prime social hang-out for men after a long week of work.

Cape Peninsula - part 1

Our Lessons

With new friends and a rental car, we set out to explore the beautiful coastline south of Cape Town. Thankfully, Eric managed to adapt uneventfully to this tiny “right-hand drive” vehicle (a format that almost universally means "former British colony").


It did not take long for our first exotic African animal encounter; and surprisingly, that animal was a penguin! At Boulders Beach, less than an hour away from the city, we found a truly unique opportunity to become 'beach bums' alongside a colony of these tuxedoed birds. Unlike the elusive Galapagos penguins, these adorably nonchalant African penguins were calm and curious as we walked up, and sat down right next to them. Watching their comedically wobbly gait on land brought huge smiles to our faces, but we knew not to underestimate how fast they could be in the water. Additionally, these penguins have distinctly pink eyebrows. We learned that the hotter a penguin is, the more vibrant the pink color becomes. This is an adaptive trait to living in a relatively hot climate: by dilating these blood vessels, more blood passes superficially across the cool water as the penguins swim, allowing them to regulate their core temperature. For us humans, this water was certainly cold enough without pink eyebrows.


After losing track of time with the penguins, we rushed to our next stop before closing hours: the Cape of Good Hope. Oddly, this is known as the most “south-western” point of Africa… however, at least on modern maps, it appears to be neither the most southern nor the most western. We wonder how this latitude/longitude calculation was made...


Driving through this national preserve led to a few more surprises, including antelope and ostrich sightings. Memorably, we saw two ostriches lift their tail feathers and simultaneously drop enormous solid stools right next to our closed car window (in light of our recent Cuba mishap, a traumatized Eric reflexively checked for his wallet). With nightfall approaching, we made an exhaustingly hasty jog up the peak, to the Cape Point Lighthouse, which offered breathtaking cliffside views of the intensely crashing waves below. The natural beauty of the foliage and mountainous cliffs were amazing from here; well worth the 2-hour drive from Cape Town.

Cape Peninsula - part 2

Our Lessons

While cruising back across Table Mountain National Park, we reflected on the fact that we had observed a lot of homeless and/or jobless people in Cape Town. To our collective surprise, most of these individuals were pleasant, trying hard to appear in good spirits. Many dressed in orange vests and had taken up unofficial jobs as 'parking attendants,’ eagerly assisting (sometimes unwanting) drivers in their parallel parking, in hopes of getting a tip. Even when they were directly asking for change using signs, their written messages were more amusing than we are accustomed to. For example:


"At least you and I shared a smile today :)"

"Retired pornstar in need of $$ for penis reduction surgery!"


We are told by our tour guide not to give money directly to the homeless, as this may perpetuate bad habits like drug use. We were made aware of city programs that provide homeless people an opportunity to sell items gifted to them, like heart decals or newspapers, at a set price. As a result, many cars, city windows, and traffic lights are now ornately decorated with these heart stickers.

Taking a quick flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg, we set out to meet our "Big Five" friends: the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and African buffalo. These aren’t necessarily the largest African animals; rather, they are historically “the most dangerous animals to hunt on foot." Naturally, the goal of any African safari is to get a glimpse of each of them, plus all of the other amazing wildlife the savannah has to offer.


After a very long journey from Jo'burg, we took a turn off the highway, onto a winding dirt path, eventually leading to a small compound surrounded by an electrified fence. At the front gate laid a pile of bleached skulls, bones, and horns: "Animals Killed by Lions," a sign warned—what a welcome to Tremisana Lodge! Inside, we met some jumpy troublemakers: the “blue velvet monkeys”, who are in fact gray, except for their prominent blue-colored scrotums! These mischievous monkeys were most often spotted in the trees above the outdoor kitchen, sometimes munching on bags of chips and other sneakily stolen food items.


Our 5-day safari at Kruger National Park was diverse, in that we were perfectly located inside a private game reserve, right outside the official national park. Kruger is known for its vast open plains, allowing safari goers to easily spot far-away animals. However, Kruger requires drivers to stay on paved roads. In contrast, our private reserve, Balule, was densely forested and hilly. Here, our enthusiastic park guide, Tolly, enjoyed plowing our 4x4 Land Cruiser off trail, through brush, rivers, and steep inclines, in an effort to give us the best possible chance to see the park’s elusive wildlife.

Kruger National Park - part 1

Our Lessons

Kruger National Park - part 2

Our Lessons

Beginning our adventure with a relaxed first game drive outside the protective wires of Tremisana Lodge, Tolly parked our Land Cruiser under a particularly large tree, and we watched the sunset over the unfenced savannah. A picnic table and fire pit were prepared for us, and we were handed shot glasses containing a sweet brown-tinged liqueur: Amarula. This delicious beverage comes from the fruit of the tree we were standing next to; the African marula tree, which locals also call the “Elephant tree” or the “Marriage Tree.” Like the elephants, we enjoyed these succulent, tart fruits right off the tree. However, unlike a large-sized elephant, we learned that we would need to be careful and avoid getting intoxicated by eating too much of these ripened fruits—which naturally ferment, and have been known to get even elephants tipsy! These trees are dioecious (male and female flowers are borne on separate trees) so they must grow in close proximity in order to produce fruit: hence their second name, “Marriage trees.”


As the sun went down, candles were lit, and we enjoyed a delicious meal including braaied (the South African word forbarbecued”) sausage, chicken, and pap grits under the bright stars of the savannah (a traditional Boma Dinner). We were assured that our numbers were sufficient to keep away any predators that might like to have us for dinner, and sure enough, not a single animal came into sight.


Our nighttime ride back to the lodge was exciting, as we used an old trick to spot the hidden animals. Just like the caymans of the Amazon, we found if we shined our flashlights outward at eye level, we could easily illuminate the many photo-reflective eyes looking back at us: large herds of zebras, giraffes, birds, and rodents, all hiding in the bush along the side of the road!

Kruger National Park - part 3

Our Lessons

“Animals are NOT ‘aggressive’ towards humans; they are ‘DEFENSIVE’”! Admirably, every park ranger we encountered in South Africa reminded us of this fact. In other words: stay out of their way, and animals generally will not go out on a limb to hunt you. As a classic example: the hippopotamus is known to be responsible for a large number of so-called “spontaneous attacks" and deaths of local villagers. However, a comfortably resting hippo in the water would have to be seriously taunted before they come out to chase a human. The issue arises when a hippo has left the safety of his home in the water to forage for food, and he encounters a human on his way back to the water. If a villager happens to be fetching water from the lake, the returning hippo may see this as a direct threat and is much more likely to attack. By the way: although hippos may look like waterlogged balls of gas, they will outrun any human! In fact, hippos can sprint as fast as 30 km/hr on land!


“Like most men and the U.S. Congress, Hippos spread their shit around.”~Tolly

In the savannah, we learned that a viral Youtube video of a “Hippo farting” is kind of real! Indeed, we observed multiple hippos spinning their tails and spraying their loose stools wherever they needed to go. However, hippos actually do not make noise when they fart; this was a fake sound effect added to the viral video. Truly, then, hippo farts are the definition of silent-but-deadly!

Kruger National Park - part 4

Our Lessons

“If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat, eat my hubby Eric here 'cause he is a treat!” ~Me, to some friendly lions


Due to a pandemic-induced deficit of safari guides, Eric had a rare opportunity to serve as our tracker. During a safari game drive, a "tracker" sits on a completely exposed chair, which has been welded to the front bumper of the vehicle. In addition to enjoying an unobstructed front-row view of the path (or bushes, tree branches, or spiderwebs ahead), the tracker's job is to keep an eye out for animal footprints. The tracker is often the first person to have an animal sighting. This indeed happened to Eric, while he was carefully directing Tolly through the bush, to follow some fresh tracks. As the large footprints approached a clearing ahead, Eric looked up to find a family of 13 lions staring back at us! It was a magnificent yet hair-raising moment for me, fearful that my husband could become an afternoon snack. Thankfully, this did not happen. Tolly again demonstrated the point that animals are not aggressive, but defensive—by stepping out of the truck, and immediately the lions moved away. Further, he stated that animals typically regard safari trucks (and any passengers on or in them) as part of "one big passive animal," and therefore would not attack unless provoked.

Kruger National Park - part 5

Our Lessons

Hyenas get a bad rap. Long before the Lion King depicted them as Scar's cruel, dim-witted henchmen, some indigenous Africans associated hyenas with witchcraft or the devil, due to their shrill laugh and an unfounded rumor that they dig up buried corpses. Seeing a family of hyenas for ourselves, including the most precious, fuzzy babies, helped to change that stereotype for us. It turns out that hyenas, Africa's most successful hunters, are intelligent and loving amongst their own kind. In fact, they are known to form intricate social bonds that rival those of primates. As NatGeo notes, "Female hyenas are stellar mothers, investing more time in their cubs than most carnivores. Not only do they nurse cubs for two full years, but moms also wrestle and play with their offspring for hours at a time—another sophisticated, primate-like behavior." Furthermore, these apex predators are critical to controlling prey populations and preventing the spread of disease, particularly by eating every last bit of an animal (their powerful bites can break bone!)

Kruger National Park - part 6

Our Lessons

Off-roading through the fury of the storm: the Kruger region experiences its annual wet season during February. This is disadvantageous in that the rains promote the growth of taller, greener grass, making it a challenge to spot animals. However, when the clouds suddenly darkened during a game drive, escaping a deluge became a thrilling adventure of its own as the water began to pour! In a completely open 4x4 “bakkie” truck with no windows or windshield, Tolly decided his baseball cap and glasses provided him sufficient coverage to push onward. He clearly enjoyed the opportunity to drive at speed up and down the mud-stricken hills, in his noble quest to get us all "back to safety." No animals or humans were harmed in the process!

African buffalo never forgive and never forget! These grazers may not appear so different from the gentle water buffalo that children in my hometown used to ride and play with in Vietnam. However, the fact that their skulls have evolved to form irregular, battle-scarred 'helmets' should clue you in: the African buffalo is, in fact, considered the most dangerous of the Big Five! Buffalo, we learned, have killed more hunters in Africa than any other animal. Wait, but aren't they herbivores? we asked. Yes, but when wounded, buffalo become angry, and like a dog-less John Wick, they are notorious for seeking revenge on their attacker. Instead of fleeing, wounded buffalo will circle around, stalk their enemy, and counterattack. Buffalo are even known to remember life-threatening encounters the following day, continuing their own “hunt” for the hunter. Not to worry, we were assured: One can avoid becoming the next victim of this vegetarian-turned-Predator by not shooting him and respecting his space!

Kruger National Park - part 7

Our Lessons

Kruger National Park - part 8

Our Lessons

Dazzle (noun): brightness that confuses someone's vision temporarily. Also: the word used to describe a herd of zebras!


Not to our surprise, a zebra’s undeniably dazzling pattern of stripes is unique to each individual. There are many interesting hypotheses as to why zebras have stripes at all. Do the stripes confuse insects, making it harder for them to land on the zebras? Do the stripes cause predators-in-pursuit to “miss” while pouncing, or to bite accidentally towards the “wrong end,” buying time for the zebra to escape? Unfortunately, a quick internet search indicates none of these theories have yet been proven. In our experience, it is certainly at least a bit disorienting to try to focus on a moving dazzle of zebras!


A doctor’s random musing: As American medical professionals, we often use the term “zebra” as an analogy for a rare medical diagnosis. Example: “For her cough, we should try controlling her asthma before scanning her for cancer… When you hear hoofprints, first think of horses, not zebras!” However, in Africa, zebras seem to be more common than horses. Does that mean here, the medical students are taught the reverse phrase: “When you hear hoofprints, first think of zebras, not horses”?

Kruger National Park - part 9

Our Lessons

The Rhinoceros’ tragic disappearance: Roaming the endless savannas of Kruger National Park in an open 4x4 was an incredible experience, with one heartbreaking exception: no rhinos! We spent three days keeping our eyes peeled for these gentle giants. Yet, despite the serenity of empty roads during a pandemic-induced tourist deficit, rhinos were conspicuously absent. The reason: poachers have been killing them off, in order to remove and sell their horns.


How could anyone be so cruel as to kill Earth’s “last living dinosaurs,” we asked? Sadly, it’s complicated: COVID-19 has dramatically worsened living conditions for the almost 2 million locals who live outside the Kruger reserve. We learned that many starving families are descendants of those who were kicked off their lands over a century ago when the white-controlled government declared it a “protected area.” In this context, what if a Rolex-sporting member of an international poaching syndicate were to cruise into an impoverished town, and remind locals that bringing him “just one rhino horn” would pay enough to feed their entire family for a year? Meanwhile, the park service is likewise struggling to make ends meet, having earned minimal tourist revenue over the last two years. What if a syndicate representative was also to entice an underpaid, overworked park ranger with the promise of a life-changing amount of cash, in return for a simple “tip-off”? “Just tell us where you saw a rhino on your patrol and we’ll pay you!” Maybe the fatigued ranger is taking into consideration that tourism jobs are dwindling (in February 2022, we were told that our own tour organization was forced to lay off 5 out of every 6 of its employees in the last two years; now, only 8 employees remained, down from 58!). Furthermore, the likelihood of getting “caught” may be minimal: Kruger’s park rangers have to cover 7,500 square miles—the current size of Israel! All factors considered, it is a bit easier for us to understand how Kruger’s estimated rhino population dropped from 3,600 to 2,800 in 2020 alone.


There are two main reasons why rhino poaching is a longstanding, engrained tradition: First because the wealthy like to keep these rare animals as “trophies.” Second and more pervasively, holistic companies have learned to capitalize on false rumors of the ‘health benefits’ of rhinos’ keratin-rich horns. We learned that ground-up rhino horn has been highly valued in far-Eastern medicine for thousands of years. When it is mixed into powder to drink, it is claimed to help with a variety of medical ailments. Current medical research reveals no such benefit—not surprising since we know that rhino horns are merely composed of the same material as human fingernails! However, changing people’s generationally-entrenched beliefs is an arduous task, which can only be effective when done carefully and compassionately.


In the meantime, more funding is desperately needed for the out-manned, out-gunned National Park Service. Proper assistance and engagement must take place with the underserved populations on the fringes of these parks. Perhaps outside-the-box ideas should be considered: for instance, there has been a recent discussion of legalizing rhino horn sales by the national park! National parks have already begun safely removing rhino horns under anesthesia, in an effort to make killing these rhinos undesirable to poachers. What if the profits could be heavily taxed, or go directly to the park service? A thought to chew on... and in the meantime, chew your own fingernails instead of rhino horn (it’s free and equally ‘beneficial’ to your health!)

Kruger National Park - part 10

Our Lessons

On a happy note: Kruger’s elephant population has benefited greatly from South Africa’s anti-poaching and repopulation efforts. Here, this endangered species is once again growing in numbers, and we read that elephants from Kruger are now being shipped to repopulate other parts of the country. In fact, too many elephants in one place can be a bad thing. For instance, many species of birds nest in the savannah's trees, and they don’t lay eggs very often. Hungry elephants, meanwhile, have a habit of literally pushing over and uprooting trees, in order to eat the leaves. Thus, having an excess of elephants will result in the destruction of homes for many birds. Creating balance in nature is always complicated when we humans have gotten in the way!

Kruger National Park-part 11

Our Lessons

An “elephant graveyard” is no place for a young prince… and in reality, there is no such place. Nevertheless, we enjoyed learning about the very humanlike elephant behaviors that perpetuated this fun bit of lore, which goes back way farther than the Lion King! The false “elephant graveyard” legend states that older elephants, on the verge of death, will instinctively direct themselves to lie down far from the group: in the same place where their ancestors died. There is no evidence for this; however, elephants have been one of the few species of mammals known to have recognizable ‘rituals’ around death. For instance, elephants are known to show great interest in the bones of their own kind, gently investigating the bones with their trunks and feet while remaining very quiet. In fact, Anthony Hall-Martin, a South African biologist who had studied elephants, once documented his observation of elephants having a ‘funeral’: “The entire family of a dead matriarch, including her young calf, were all gently touching her body with their trunks, trying to lift her. The elephant herd was all rumbling loudly. The calf was observed to be weeping and made sounds that sounded like a scream, but then the entire herd fell silent. They then began to throw leaves and dirt over the body and broke off tree branches to cover her. They spent the next two days quietly standing over her body.”

Kruger National Park-part 12

Our Lessons

Elephant dung: waste not? We’ve heard of people using cow dung as mortar to build houses… but what about people eating elephant poop to stay healthy? While on a bush walk in Kruger, we came across large piles of elephant poo and I quickly joked, “Who is ready for lunch?” Our guide frankly said, “Go ahead and try it; it is good for you!” Say what? Though we declined, we were shocked to learn that some of our fellow travelers had tried some (“It’s not bad!” they told us). As it turns out, traditional healers in some parts of Africa believe that, given the large variety of plants that an elephant consumes every day, their dung can be considered a 'one-stop-shop' for herbal remedies. Healers are known to burn dry dung, or even give it fresh for consumption, which is said to work as a painkiller. The argument that one guide proposed: “If it is good enough for this giant elephant, it’s good enough for me.” Obviously, this raises concerns for medical practitioners like us: dose variability, toxicity levels, unclear ingredients, dysentery… the list goes on! Allopathic doctors recognize that knowing all of a remedy’s ingredients, and their quantities, is a much safer approach to keeping the human body well!


Of note, a less adventurous 'poo product' that we have tried was Luwak Coffee in Indonesia, which comes from defecated coffee beans that had been ingested by a raccoon-like mammal! Like Luwak coffee, we found out that ‘elephant dung coffee’ (a.k.a. Black Ivory Coffee) is cleaned and processed before brewing, and it is said to have a sweet, fruity, chocolatey, and cherry taste. There is even Unko—‘elephant poo beer,’ which is very popular in Japan! At least these varieties involve cooking/sterilization. Would you try it?

Johannesburg - part 1

Our Lessons

We departed the savannah to spend a few days in "the richest city in South Africa": Johannesburg. For a reasonable U.S. price, we were able to relax in a newly renovated condo-hotel, with room service and floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the city skyline from the wealthier Rosebank neighborhood. Unfortunately, our privileged experience here is the complete opposite of the reality that many residents of Jo’burg are forced to endure—a reality that we were able to observe firsthand.


Curious about Jo’burg’s current housing crisis, we visited the city's troubled neighborhood of Hillbrow: the most densely populated residential area in South Africa. It is a place where the country’s history of racism has created a nightmarish situation. Surprisingly, we were told that in the 1970s, Hillbrow was an affluent area, which had some of the nicest accommodations in the city... including the infamous Ponte City Apartments. Ponte City is an enormous cylindrical tower: a brutalist monolith that was meant to serve as a model for a ‘cosmopolitan society’ of the future. Unfortunately, its success was its downfall in the face of a government built around segregation, explained our current Ponte City resident tour guides. Because it quickly became a progressive “melting pot” for interracial couples, South Africa's apartheid government decided to “make an example” of Hillbrow and Ponte City, to punish its community for breaking the rules of segregation. To do this, the government designated the neighborhood a "Grey Area”: a zone of illegal racial residential integration. This designation apparently minimized governance, safety enforcement, and basic utilities. Homes began to lose access to electricity and water, and anyone wealthy enough to move out of the area did so.


Lacking jobs, opportunities, or government assistance, those who remained often turned to crime. Buildings forsaken by their landlords became occupied by “hijackers”—slum lords who cut the chains, and allowed people to live in the abandoned buildings... for a charge, despite the fact that they did not actually own the building. Gangs and drug dealers moved into neighborhoods in great numbers, and have stayed for decades. Even today, some buildings are still controlled by hijackers, because the police are said to fear certain death if they attempt to enter… or even interfere with crimes that are occurring on the streets in front of the buildings!


As we walked around, our tour guides pointed out hijacked buildings to us, which appeared more like concrete skeletons. Windows and sometimes entire front walls are missing, often covered only by cardboard or loose bedsheets. Children could be seen playing inside, while adults were cooking on open fires. Occasionally, we could see through the entire living quarters, which seemed to lack all normal household furniture. Out of respect and safety, our tour guides instructed us not to take photos of these areas.

Johannesburg - part 2

Our Lessons

The infamous concrete Ponte City building had once been Johannesburg’s most notorious hijacked structure—an iconic symbol of a “vertical slum” in a dystopian society. By the early 2000s, over 10,000 squatters occupied Ponte City, despite the building having no running water or electricity (no elevators to the 54th floor!). During our visit, we were able to stand at the base of the currently trash-free central core of the building. However, we have painted a surreal, dramatically different image of where our feet would have been standing just a decade ago. At that time, squatters had been discarding garbage and dead bodies down the building’s center, until it piled up to the 14th floor! This disturbing reality has been made famous in cinema worldwide, being featured in movies such as District 9, Dredd, Chappie, and Resident Evil.

Johannesburg - part 3

Our Lessons

Ponte City was repurchased before the 2010 World Cup. It took two years to evict all of its squatters, but today it is restored and home to people of various societal classes. The surrounding communities are likewise being gradually improved, we are told. Housing organizations like Ithemba have received grants from big corporations to help “clean up” the area. Ithemba fixes up formerly-hijacked buildings and pays locals to keep the streets clean. However, their methods of initially clearing hijacked buildings of squatters are controversial. Tactics include using the services of Red Ants: a brutal private security group that equips low-income workers with weapons, shields, and red suits. The firm trucks its workers by the hundreds to forcefully remove illegal tenants and their belongings—literally throwing people’s stuff out of windows and carrying small children out by their arms!


Apparently, unleashing this small-scale 'army' to clear crime-plagued buildings is felt to be a necessary evil by rent-paying locals of the community, who reportedly like the work that Ithemba is doing for them. However, we question what happens next for the former squatters, who are mostly undocumented immigrants. Our tour guide speculates that these people are being displaced to the townships on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Sadly, we are told there has been a major spike in xenophobia, and beatings of immigrants in these township communities as a result of this influx. We would have to research this further, but we wonder if Ithemba’s positive work for the Hillbrow community is just shifting the problem to another location. We are curious about what South Africa’s government is doing to support these people, to bring them out of this perpetual cycle of poverty.

Victoria Falls - part 1

Our Lessons

Leaving the concrete jungle of Johannesburg behind us, we made our way toward the lush rainforest of Victoria Falls. We touched down in Zimbabwe and made an uneventful pass through customs. Outside of the tiny airport, we were welcomed by the energy of enthusiastic locals, who were singing and dancing for tips. Monkeys played on the relatively inactive road in front of our taxi as we left the pickup area.


After a 30-minute ride, we began to get settled into our hotel room when the manager knocked on our door. He informed us that "immigration" was downstairs, asking to see us. To our surprise, there were indeed three uniformed officers standing at the front desk, eyes on us as we approached. I recognized one of the officers from the customs security checkpoint. In a serious tone, he advised us that they had come to collect the additional $20 USD bill that we “must have forgotten” to give when he was giving us our visas. Having already been granted visas into the country, I was confused by this statement and startled that they were demanding the money now, in cash, rather than having us return to the immigration office. Suspecting a scam, Eric unflinchingly stood his ground, advising that we had, in fact, paid the full $100 (which all three of us had counted, including the officer). Eric immediately took out the payment receipt, then pulled out his phone and asked to take photos of the officers' identifications. At this point, the primary officer awkwardly stepped back and turned around to notice that his two colleagues had left the room. He promptly stated that there must have been a "misunderstanding" and that he would pay the missing amount with his own money, and swiftly left the hotel.


Shrugging off this uncomfortable encounter and bewildered that three officers would take an hour out of their day to rip off just $20 from a tourist, we cautiously stepped outside to explore the town. It was not long before we were met with another unusual request: As we walked along the road, a series of men approached us, each with an air of desperation in his eyes as he tried to sell us handmade trinkets. After we declined, one man said to us, "My name is Joseph, please remember me. If you happen to go out to eat and have any bits of food left, could you please bring it back for me to eat?"


Indeed, conversations with other locals confirmed that money, and affordable food, are incredibly scarce here. This was the case all over Zimbabwe post-COVID, but perhaps even worse in tourist-dependent areas like Victoria Falls, as very few alternative jobs existed. Since the start of the pandemic, people here have earned almost no money, to the point that some were literally starving. The weather conditions, we are told, are not hospitable for large-scale farming in this part of Zimbabwe... however, the entire country has suffered from food shortages since the year 2000...

Victoria Falls - part 2

Our Lessons

Homeless ‘billionaires’: It has now been two decades since the tragic collapse of Zimbabwe’s economy. Formerly a rich country known as the "breadbasket" of East Africa, Zimbabwe's economy failed after a series of poor economic decisions made by notorious ex-president Robert Mugabe. Mr. Mugabe came to power in 1980, after the country won its independence from Great Britain. His initial agenda seemed promising: he improved access to education, provided universal healthcare, and promoted reconciliation and partnership with Great Britain. Britain, however, proceeded to pass crippling sanctions on Mugabe’s regime, as punishment after he voiced support for South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement. Without proper funding for his initiatives, over time Mr. Mugabe became calloused, and his mindset shifted towards aggressive condemnation not only of Great Britain but of all white people.

Victoria Falls - part 3

Our Lessons

Mr. Mugabe's view of himself as a “liberator,” from tyrannical "white" rule and persisting systemic racism, continued to amplify after two decades of setbacks. At this point, he decided dramatic action was needed, and he enacted a series of policies that would later be judged as short-sighted and emotional: In 2000, he encouraged the violent takeover of white-owned farms (which had formed the backbone of the country’s food production). Most of the seized land was given to his friends and political associates, who unfortunately lacked the motivation and experience to continue modern agricultural practices. Zimbabwe’s farms suddenly faltered—and sent shockwaves rippling through the economy. In an attempt to fight the deficit, Mugabe's government printed an excess of money, leading to a downward economic spiral. In 2008, inflation hit the rate of 231,000,000%—in fact, today we can buy old 100 Trillion Zimbabwean Dollar bills that locals collect and sell as souvenirs (at the peak of the crisis, this bill would only pay for a loaf of bread!).


Sadly, Zimbabwe’s economy never recovered. In 2017 a military coup forced Mr. Mugabe out of office and replaced him with the current president, Emmerson Mnangagwa. Still, corruption is widespread. Desperate searches for sustainable living have led many Zimbabweans to depart for South Africa. Unfortunately, most undocumented immigrants end up in slums and low-income townships, such as Johannesburg’s Hillbrow. We pray Zimbabwe's kindhearted people, who have suffered so much, will be given the opportunities they deserve to survive, and thrive, in their own country.

Victoria Falls - part 4

Our Lessons

Ranking a waterfall is "complicated." The massive Victoria Falls is 344 feet high, and it spans 6,400 feet in width. It holds the title of the longest "continuous sheet" of water in the world! The mist emanating from this immense waterfall can be seen from 30 miles away, which led local ethnic groups to name it "Mosi-oa-Tunya," which translates to The Smoke that Thunders. These humid sprays have effectively created a rainforest filled with dense vegetation and plant life that is otherwise rare in the surrounding area.


Statistically, Vic Falls is definitely not the tallest waterfall—in fact, almost ten times taller is Angel Falls in Venezuela, which cascades 3,212 feet down a massive plateau (and it was featured in the movie Up). Beyond this, for world-record purposes, "largest" can have many meanings! According to some sources, the largest waterfall "system" is Iguazú Falls in South America, which consists of 250 separate cascades that span over 1.8 miles. Meanwhile, the largest waterfall by annual flow rate is said to be Inga Falls in the Congo. However, Iguazú Falls once had a temporary storm surge with a flow rate of 45,000 cubic meters per second, almost double the average of Inga Falls. In comparison, North America's frequently visited Niagara Falls is less than half the height and one-sixth the width of Vic Falls, but it has an aggressive roaring power with almost twice the average flow rate of Vic Falls (2,400 cubic meters per second). One thing is certain: Vic Falls is the only waterfall currently listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, and both Zambia and Zimbabwe get to share this honor.

At 365 feet high, many locals told us that bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls bridge was the most beautiful adrenaline rush of their lives. Likewise, for us, it did not disappoint! The Vic Falls bridge is one of only three crossings from Zimbabwe to Zambia (it’s the only one for over 200 miles, leading to a huge queue of cars and heavy cargo trucks lining up to cross, one at a time!). Logistically, the bridge is sort of a ‘no-man's-land’ between the two countries. It is interesting having to show our passports to momentarily leave a country... and then pray those passports remained safely in our pockets after bungee jumping, in order to get back in!


Aside from Eric's questionable decision to duct tape his cell phone to his hand for video-recording purposes, Bungee jumping in modern times is a relatively safe sport. It was not so in the past, however, and it was inspired by serious risk-takers. The first modern bungee jump was made just a few decades ago in 1979, from a 250-foot bridge in Bristol, England, by members of the Oxford University "Dangerous Sports Club." These well-rounded scholars were motivated after studying the "land divers" of Pentecost Island in Australia: For centuries, these men have built wooden towers 100 feet high, and jumped from them using nothing more than fresh-growing vines, tied around their ankles!

Victoria Falls - part 5

Our Lessons

Victoria Falls - part 6

Our Lessons

Did you know that the mighty Zambezi River, starting at the base of Vic Falls, has earned the title of "The Wildest one-day whitewater run in the World”? Neither did we… until we were rafting in it ourselves!


Somehow, the local tour agent failed to mention this detail, as he eagerly signed us up during the COVID-19 tourist slump. Without readily accessible internet, we jumped into this unknown adventure. These photos provide a tiny glimpse of our amateur face-off against the Class 4 and 5 rapids of the Zambezi, a river where crocodiles can be spotted casually watching us from the shallows. Epic mayhem ensued, repeatedly; luckily, injury-free for the entire team. One unwitting rafter got so sick that she started pleading to get off, but unfortunately, the only way out was forward, through another 10 km of rapids. As our water-soaked raft and battered bodies finally docked at the base of a canyon at the end of this gauntlet, we discovered one final 'surprise,' which was not mentioned in the brochure: To return to the road, we had to hike 230 meters back up with our gear, often skirting along narrow cliff edges. Exhausted, we pushed ourselves and made it to the top, while waiting another hour for the remainder of our group to follow suit. Clearly, this was an intense experience that was not made for everyone; but for us, it was an amazingly memorable journey!


Unfortunately, these rapids' world-renowned wave trains and dizzying whirlpools may soon be gone forever. On our ride back to the park office, our rafting guide spoke lamentably about the new Batoka Gorge Dam: a hydropower project that is set to begin construction approximately 50 km downstream of Vic Falls. Although this dam has the potential to provide much-needed energy for both Zimbabwe and Zambia, the resulting water buildup will drown the entire canyon and eliminate the rapids. As of 2023, project planning is underway but funding negotiations are still pending.

Victoria Falls-Zambia side

Our Lessons

On this day, we were reminded that safety ropes are sometimes just a "formality." Walking our luggage across the Vic Falls bridge and passing through Zambia customs, we were in for one final adventure before boarding our next flight. It is to Zambia's side that thrill-seekers must venture, to reach the infamous “Devil’s Pool.” This area of deep water right along the edge of the waterfall has an unusually gentle current, which allows tourists to sit comfortably and peer over the top of the thundering falls. Unfortunately, the Devil's Pool is only accessible when the water level is low. During the present rainy season, the pounding water flow made the Devil’s Pool too dangerous for us to enter. Instead, tour companies advertised to us “Angel’s Pool”... which is in a different section of the mile-long waterfall; less popular because it sits a few meters away from the edge. For this once-in-a-lifetime experience, we decided this was close enough.


However, there was another “silver lining” of post-pandemic travel, which we have experienced again and again: Since tourists were scarce, guides were eager to give us the best possible experience. Instead of the typical 16 tourists at a time, Eric and I found ourselves on a completely ‘private’ experience, with one guide per person. These gentlemen took it upon themselves to carefully guide us down into Angel’s Pool… then forward PAST the pool, in FRONT of the safety ropes, until we were literally being held by our ankles, Superman-style, peering over the edge of the waterfall! This unexpected turn of events happened so fast that I did not feel afraid until I watched the video afterward (and realized this was likely the craziest thing we have ever done). Although the current wasn’t that strong, had Eric and our guide simultaneously let go of me, I would have easily glided off the edge and into the abyss. I guess sometimes you just have to have a little faith in those around you… No different than a simple “trust fall” exercise, right? Right??


Luckily, the only ‘flying’ either of us did on this day was in an airplane. That evening we were off to Zambia's capital, Lusaka. Of note, despite being a mere 20 miles apart, an international flight from Zimbabwe's side of Vic Falls costs hundreds of dollars more than a domestic flight from Zambia's side. In this way, this short walk across a bridge was one of the simplest cost-saving activities we have done.

Lusaka - part 1

Our Lessons

This capital city, full of strong and hardworking people, is unmistakably poor. Our few short days in Lusaka became one of the most insightful experiences of our time in Africa. Lusaka is not glamorous: a few older highrises and ‘classy’ restaurants do exist, but as a nation's capital, it stands out in our minds for its complete absence of any sparkling buildings, fancy shopping centers, or really any significant skyline at all. Infrastructure is lacking; polluted canals line many of the open-market streets just a few blocks from the small central business district. In fact, for lack of a better option, some vendors construct their makeshift shops on stilts directly over stagnating, foul-smelling sewage canals, in order to squeeze their way into areas with the heaviest foot traffic.


Truly, everyone here is earnestly trying to make ends meet. When cars stop at a red light on the main highway, at least twenty to thirty people make their way up the lane of cars, each trying to make eye contact with drivers, to see if they might like to buy the singular item they are selling. The desperation is apparent: for a brief moment, while looking for sunglasses on the street corner, I had to take on the role of a conflict mediator. When a second sunglass vendor crossed the street to show me his collection as I was still looking at the initial vendor's items, the initial vendor threatened to “fight” him for trying to steal his customer. I did not feel personally threatened by their aggression towards each other, so by keeping a pleasant, respectful tone, I was able to diffuse the situation and buy the pair I wanted. However, this interaction demonstrated just how badly people feel they need to "hustle" to survive.

Lusaka - part 2

Our Lessons

From our experience, for what it lacks in luxury, Lusaka makes up for in genuine people and warm hospitality. Aside from making sure we were comfortable in our fully equipped cabin-style room, our homestay workers, Susan and Justina, spent hours braiding my hair as Justina's baby kept me company on my lap. Downtown, Rickon, a Lusaka local, provided one of the most memorable city/history/cultural tours that we have had. He demonstrated remarkable insight into the course of current events and measures that can help Zambia to develop and progress—in fact, measures that can help change the narrative of many African nations—in ways that will end the cycle of poverty and corruption. He has even had aspirations to run for Mayor of Lusaka. Rickon explained that he learned a tremendous amount during his travels through Africa and parts of Europe. For us, Rickon started off as a guide and quickly became a friend.

Lusaka - part 3

Our Lessons

Walking through Lukasa’s uneven, often unpaved streets, we were met with countless smiles and welcoming faces. If you are non-black, you will definitely stand out here; but even street vendors did not follow or harass us like in other parts of the world. Certainly in the context of our guided walk, we felt safer here than in some other cities we’ve visited. Rickon attributes this in part to Zambia’s universal low-cost primary education system, which has reportedly been prioritized more than other African countries. He is adamant in his belief that proper schooling helps people to hold themselves accountable, to take control of their lives, and to help improve society.


Unfortunately, Zambia’s past government was plagued by corruption. We learned that in August 2021, its leaders tried to rig an election… but such an overwhelming majority voted for the opposing candidate, Hakainde Hichilema, that he won in spite of this. At the time of our visit, Rickon happily informed us that Mr. Hichilema and Zambia’s newly-elected government passed recent legislation that made grades 1-12 completely free as of January 2022. He hopes that this will initiate the development of a new generation—who will approach societal problems thoughtfully and creatively, and who will be less likely to elect corrupt leaders based solely on popularity or unrealistic promises. Equally important, Rickon stated that Zambia’s government needs to provide greater support to local enterprises, to stop its brightest entrepreneurs from leaving their homeland.

Lusaka - part 4

Our Lessons

Sadly, during our visit, we saw many homeless children and many young children working in the street markets with their parents. As of February 2022, we read that many village families were still unaware of the new free-education policy change—and many who were aware remained skeptical about the benefits of education; thus, they continued to push their children to do manual labor instead of going to school. Their skepticism is not unfounded: unfortunately, formal jobs are hard to come by in many parts of Africa, and until this changes, obtaining a diploma may be less important than putting food on the table. We sincerely hope that word about Zambia's free education policy will be met with more domestic and international investments, to create job opportunities for these graduates.


In addition, Rickon recognizes that one way for Zambia to sustain its economy and create jobs for its people is to manufacture goods in its own country (instead of exporting raw materials and importing finished products at a higher cost, which is the current situation). He questions whether international corporations, Western powers, and consumers of Zambia’s raw materials are disregarding Zambia’s own wellbeing, in favor of their own. He hopes that the world’s leading countries can adopt healthy trade policies that truly support developing nations, instead of surreptitiously stifling their growth. Likewise, he hopes Zambia’s people can understand that policies that help those who are struggling can be an investment that will help everybody. Rickon ponders, “If you see your brother walking down the road as you drive by him in your car, wouldn’t you pause to offer him a ride? If we can all just think of each other as one family, maybe we would be more willing to truly help each other out… and close the gaps of racial and economic inequality around the world.”

Zanzibar - part 1

Our Lessons

The Zanzibar Archipelago is part of Tanzania today, but its history is quite distinct. While Christianity is the primary religion of Tanzania, Islam, and Islamic culture have been predominant in Zanzibar. This is because over a thousand years ago, Zanzibar's location made it an ideal outpost for Persian, Indian, and Arab merchants to acquire East African goods like gold and ivory. Its Middle Eastern influence led Zanzibar to be ruled by the Sultan of Oman in more recent times; in fact, the Sultan moved his capital to Zanzibar City in 1840. Sadly, we were told Zanzibar at one time was also the center for the East African slave trade—in which slaves were sold to the Middle East and other places via the Sahara Desert and the Indian Ocean. During this period before the formal abolishment of slavery from East Africa in 1909, it was reported that between 65 and 90% of the Arab-Swahili population of Zanzibar became enslaved.


While Oman ruled Zanzibar, Tanzania was under German control in the 19th century until the British took over after World War I. Zanzibar, meanwhile, continued to be ruled separately by the Arab dynasty, until it won its independence in 1963. At that time, the two nations merged to form the "United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar"—modern-day Tanzania.


Today, Zanzibar Archipelago is sometimes referred to as the "Spice Islands," due to its heavy production of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper. It is also known for its production of raffia palm, a tree with the world's largest compound leaves. Fiber from raffia leaves is commonly used to make items such as hats, baskets, and mats.

Zanzibar - part 2

Our Lessons

After an exhausting series of delayed flights and full-out sprinting to avoid missing our connection, we questioned whether the additional two-hour midnight drive to our hotel on Zanzibar's northern Nungwi Beach was really necessary. Our answer was a resounding "yes!" when we pushed open our curtains the next morning: At of that moment, Zanzibar became our #1 world pick for the most beautiful ocean views! In all of our travels, we have never seen such a picturesque scene: white sand gradually melting into mesmerizing light-turquoise water, interspersed with sand bars that reveal themselves in between gentle waves. Because the water remains shallow, it retains its beautiful light color almost as far as our eyes can see. Exploring on foot just east of Nungwi beach, we became surrounded by the vibrant ocean colors while standing atop a perfectly placed pier, which extends far out over the water.

Zanzibar - part 3

Our Lessons

For us, Zanzibar crossed familiar Caribbean-island vibes with the exotic feel of African and Islamic cultures. Beachfront restaurants playing reggae music dot the shoreline of Nungwi Beach. Men of the Maasai tribe passed by on their leisurely strolls along the shore, wrapped in colorful kanga robes and carrying traditional sticks—while also rocking modern Ray-Ban sunglasses. Intermittently, the Islamic call to prayer canceled out the blasting music from bars, creating peaceful moments throughout the day.

Zanzibar - part 4

Our Lessons

From our economically priced top-floor balcony, we enjoyed views of the expansive Nungwi Beach on the island’s pristine north coast… but the real adventure was found in the water. Walking east at low tide, we left the restaurants of the commercial zone behind, finding ourselves completely alone. We were flanked on the right by a continuous outcropping: a picturesque ‘wall’ of porous rock that had been eroded at the bottom, creating a natural awning to provide shade from the scorching sun. We waded into the ocean, which is very flat here, forming a shallow tide pool that extends far out. Here, we discovered hundreds of brittle stars (the faster-moving cousins of starfish). They waved their arms back and forth in the shallow waters in a seemingly synchronous dance! But the real showstopper was when we discovered a colony of brilliant red-knobbed sea stars, whose vivid colors perfectly contrasted with the ocean backdrop. Venturing out farther on a boat, Eric dove into the water and brought back blue, green, brown, and orange starfish for me to see! We snorkeled all along these shallow waters, avoiding spiny urchins and admiring many types of sea life, while inevitably intensifying our existing African suntans.


Zanzibar’s north coast may be pricey to reach, but with U.S. currency, it was quite affordable once we arrived. For just $28, we had a tasty fresh-cooked meal of octopus and barracuda, with cocktails and dessert, served on white tablecloths at a candle-lit dining table right on the beach. Diners were entertained by local acrobatic dancers, who came by with their own boombox (as well as a donation box). They successfully created a three-level human pyramid, with the top man doing a handstand, before performing a graceful backflip down onto the sand!

Arusha - part 1

Our Lessons

“Jambo!” shouted Eric ("hello" in Swahili), from the top of an enormous baobab tree. No trip to Africa would be complete without climbing one of these thousand-year-old trees, he insisted, which are known for their single, massive trunks that can grow up to 10 m (33 feet) in diameter.


This and other unforgettable adventures awaited us as we boarded a tiny propeller plane headed from Zanzibar to mainland Tanzania. Watching the majestic silhouette of Mt. Kilimajaro pass by our airplane window, we landed in the tiny town of Arusha: the starting point of our whirlwind tour of the Serengeti. Here our driver, Ali, was waiting for us, and in a private yellow Land Cruiser, we promptly set off, wide open throttle. Custom-planning our 6-country tour around Africa without a travel agency was challenging; but the cost savings and schedule flexibility allowed us to bargain for this unanticipated add-on trip to mainland Tanzania, just a week before it started. This was all thanks to Yuri, one of our guides from Kruger National Park, who connected us with his associates here.

Arusha - part 2

Our Lessons

Ebony wood, one of the most expensive woods on earth, is valued at around $23,000 USD per cubic meter! On our way to the Serengeti, we made a quick stop at the African Galleria, an ebony workshop, which had some of the most intricate wood carvings on display. While talking to the artists, we learned that ebony trees are incredibly slow-growing, and they are native to only a few countries in Africa and Asia. This naturally black/brown-colored wood is unique in that it is one of the hardest woods—dense enough to sink in water, and when polished, it develops a mirror-like, glossy finish, making it one of the most valuable ornamental woods. Its value has been recognized for millennia, and it has even been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. Given its density, ebony is extremely difficult to carve into, and we struggled unsuccessfully to hammer even a single nail through a piece that had been set aside for demonstration. The time and expert attention to detail that the artists put into these masterpieces is truly admirable. Perhaps one day we can afford a small piece, but not today!

Ngorongoro Crater - part 1

Our Lessons

A wildlife paradise on Earth, the Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unflooded and unbroken crater in the world. Geographically, it is considered a caldera like the Greek island of Santorini, as it was formed when a large volcano exploded and collapsed 3 million years ago. The view of its emerald-green floor while standing atop its outer rim is breathtaking: a continuous mountain ridge envelops the 100 square miles flat plain that makes up the center of the crater. From our 2,000-foot-high vantage point on the ridge, we saw thousands of tiny dots below: countless herds of animals, densely scattered across this incredible landscape.


We learned the hard way that the descent down to the base of the crater can be tricky. Met by a sudden deluge that immediately soaked the mud of the crater's twisty cliffside road, our Land Cruiser struggled to avoid sliding. Traffic ascending in the opposite direction continuously forced our driver to squeeze along the edge of the uneven road—eventually leading us to get stuck in a ditch! After an uncertain half-hour of being unable to get out and causing a major traffic jam, a convoy of fellow 4x4 drivers finally managed to pull us back on track using shovels and tow ropes. We thanked our lucky stars that the muddy truck was undamaged, allowing us to continue our journey. Little did we know, within the next 24 hours, luck was about to bring us our fastest back-to-back encounters with all of the Big Five animals!

Ngorongoro Crater - part 2

Our Lessons

A series of switchback roads led us slowly but surely down toward the base of the Ngorongoro Crater. Within minutes, we were greeted by a majestic but elusive animal: a leopard crossing the road! He paused, staring back at us with wide eyes, before darting into the thick forest once more. This was quite special, as we had already unsuccessfully spent multiple days in South Africa looking for this timid hunter in the wild. Spotting a leopard in the open is particularly unusual—even after making a kill, they are known to drag large animal carcasses up the trees with them, in order to stay hidden while enjoying their meal.


Finally reaching flat terrain, the thick tree cover opened up, and we were driving through the center of the crater—a massively vast plain with amazing visibility of the land, low grass, and sparse trees. This was a huge contrast compared to our time in the denser grounds of Kruger National Park, making this second safari immediately worth it for us. Binoculars were less useful in Kruger, due to the brush; however, here we were able to use them to scan the horizon for animals that were literally miles away. We freely browsed the plain, peeking our heads out of the open roof of our moving Land Cruiser, basically encountering the entire cast of The Lion King. Rhinoceroses were a rare sighting in South Africa; but here, we could see them as well, grazing amongst the African buffalo and elephants. It was truly a spectacular experience to be in the presence of these tremendously powerful vegetarians.

Ngorongoro Crater - part 3

Our Lessons

That evening, we pitched a tent and rested our heads in an open field, in the savannah just outside the Ngorongoro crater. Memories of the animals we saw ran through our heads... while actual animals ran right next to our heads, outside the tent! We were instructed to be careful of animals throughout the night; however, we did not anticipate that nighttime visitors would be having their dinner so close by. Eric awoke several times to the sounds of hoofprints and loud chewing. Apparently, he could not resist waking me from my beauty rest, whispering enthusiastically, "Don't move, they're eating next to you!" My heart jumped as I suddenly realized that nothing but a thin tarp was separating my head from the head of something very big, which was chomping on the grass inches away from the tent! When the noises finally died down, shining a flashlight into the field illuminated the eyes of dozens of zebras and giraffes—the probable culprits. How glad I was that they were vegetarians; and frankly, their presence was probably reassuring that there were no nearby carnivores at that moment. Eric's life, however, remained at risk as he stuttered in the face of my death stare, "...but it was too cool to miss! I had to wake you up for it!"

Serengeti National Park - part 1

Our Lessons

Departing the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, we crossed into the famed Serengeti National Park, to encounter what every safari goer present during this time of year has come to see: Wildebeest, everywhere, extending beyond the horizon in all directions! They are part of the "Great Migration": when an estimated 1.7 million wildebeest, followed by hundreds of thousands of zebras and other migratory animals, make their annual journey here. These massive herds come annually, all the way north from Kenya's Maasai Mara, to Tanzania's Ndutu region of the southern Serengeti. As we drove through the endless open plains of the Serengeti, wildebeest dotted every piece of open grass. Known to be timid creatures, they moved as a communal mass away from our approaching truck and returned to their original spots once we passed—creating a consistent circular pattern of separation from the truck, as if we were a drop of oil moving through an ocean. By the time we had arrived in Ndutu in mid-February, these wildebeest had already settled down and completed their mission: to breed. On average, they give birth to 500,000 calves per year! We saw many of these cute, lighter-colored babies playfully running around their parents. Given the sheer number, their cow-like grunting sounds were constantly heard everywhere we went.


Occasionally, we spotted dazzles of zebras intermixed within the herds of wildebeests. We learned that Zebras are smarter and have better eyesight, so they use the weaker and poor-visioned wildebeests as a first line of defense: easier ‘targets’ for predators to chase after, thus buying the zebras time to avoid being eaten themselves!

Serengeti National Park - part 2

Our Lessons

To our surprise, we have now seen with our own eyes that some lions can climb trees! This is actually quite a rare sight, we have been told; in fact, only lions in parts of Tanzania and western Uganda are known to display this behavior. This may be an adaptation to avoid the nuisance of constant insect bites from the ground below, as well as a way of reaching a slightly cooler place to relax on hot days. We saw one lioness lying way up on the high branches of an acacia tree. She seemed comfortable, hanging her legs and tail on alternating sides of the branch to maintain the center of gravity of her heavy, muscular body. We felt like we could just sit and observe these magnificent lions for hours, as they were clearly very content, cuddly, and playful with each other—with full bellies from the over-abundance of wildebeest that surrounded them. Like most cats, they clearly did not enjoy having to cross through a large puddle of rainwater; and each lion had a different (ultimately unsuccessful) strategy of jumping, or tip-toeing, through the water.

Serengeti National Park - part 3

Our Lessons

Upon returning to a hotel with Wi-Fi, we felt an urge to learn more about the “Lion King.” Here are some facts that we learned:

The live-action movie from 2019 takes place on Kenya's side of the Serengeti (known as the Maasai Mara). Surprisingly, the opening song of The Lion King, “Circle of Life,” is actually sung in Zulu, a language of South Africa. The recognizable line, "Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba, Sithi uhm ingonyama," sung beautifully by the voice of Elton John, is actually quite underwhelming when translated to English: "Here comes a lion, father. Oh yes, it’s a lion…" The 1994 producers said that the addition of the Zulu language was to represent “pan-African” inclusivity (however, the local Africans we met were adamant that grouping Tanzania and South Africa as one is like grouping the United States and Mexico… Yes, we are more similar than we will ever be different, but it disregards the unique cultures, languages, and traditions that make each place beautiful and unique!).


The names of the Lion King characters are common words in Swahili, the official language of Tanzania and Kenya, and generally East Africa. Examples include Simba ("Lion"), Mufasa (“King”), Nala (“Gift”), Sarabi (“Mirage”), Rafiki (“Friend”), Zazu (“Movement”), Timon (“He who respects; Honor”), Pumba (“Dim-witted; Silly”), Shenzi (“Savage”), Banzai (“Sulk”)... and, Ed just means, Ed

Maasai Village, Ngorongoro Conservation Area - part 1

Our Lessons

Driving through the countryside on the way to the Serengeti, we frequently saw men draped in colorful fabrics, carrying wooden sticks as they walked through open pastures. We quickly learned that these people are Maasai, a nomadic ethnic group that has lived for centuries on the lands that now make up Kenya and northern Tanzania.


Intrigued about their history, we later visited a traditional Maasai community. Upon being driven to a primitive roadside village surrounded by a wall of protective thorn bushes, we were greeted enthusiastically by the entire community of, perhaps, 40 people: with songs, dances, and an array of handmade trinkets for sale. Honestly, the display seemed purely "touristy" and unauthentic in our opinion. However, once we sat down and started talking and learning about the Maasai, it was clear there is more than meets the eye to these people and their culture.


Traditionally, the Maasai are pastoral cattle farmers, who live in a sustainable relationship with the ecosystem. They were known by early colonial powers to stand against slavery—in fact, their warriors protected other tribes from slave traffickers. As colonialism expanded, however, European and South African settlers began to permanently settle on the lands with the richest pastures, most fertile soils, and plentiful water sources. This created conflict because these were the same lands that were intermittently occupied by the Maasai, who moved their entire villages based on the seasons. The situation worsened in 1904, when the spear-carrying Maasai were forced at gunpoint to move exclusively into two 'reserves,' in order to make way for larger volumes of white settlers. This effectively robbed them of all the best parts of their land, which was then renamed, "British East Africa".

Maasai Village, Ngorongoro Conservation Area - part 2

Our Lessons

Being boxed into a limited, substandard space made living off the land difficult to sustain. As one Maasai author, Ntimama, wrote in 1994, "Outsiders have put up permanent fences so that now we cannot move our livestock as in the past. We are being pushed into a culture of dependency... We are being turned into beggars in our own territory, and we wonder whether we will survive the combined forces threatening us." In 2022, we observed this vivid description firsthand while walking around the Maasai village. Their living conditions seemed unimaginable: tiny homes made of cow dung, with cow-skin mattresses, limited clean drinking water, and zero infrastructure. This small, thorn-enclosed camp is just a hundred feet from a modern, noisy highway. When asked why the Maasai chose to maintain this lifestyle, the village leader told us, "This is our tradition; this is our way." However, he acknowledged that the situation has been worsening: he reported that they are currently dealing with droughts in this area, and without access to more fertile lands, this has been affecting their livestock, which is their primary food source.


A few steps from these homes is a tiny one-room school made of tree branches. About 15 smiling children of varying ages were being taught by one local teacher. Seeing this was saddening, but we reflected on the fact that traditionally, this culture values community and living off the land more than formal education. Such values have indeed worked for them for centuries when they had unthreatened access to a resource-rich territory. Unfortunately, in a world of manipulative land developers, the lack of easy access to competitive education has now set them up for a losing battle.

Maasai Village, Ngorongoro Conservation Area - part 3

Our Lessons

Shortly after we left Tanzania in 2022, the government initiated a new campaign to evict thousands of Maasai from the Ngorongoro and Loliondo region, to make way for a new “reserve,” where big game trophy hunting is to be permitted. These ancestral Maasai lands had been one of the remaining areas in which the Maasai had been allowed to live alongside wildlife, within border-protected areas. This year, Amnesty International released an investigation:


"On 7 June 2022, hundreds of security personnel from numerous government agencies traveled to Loliondo in a fleet of motor vehicles... and began to demarcate 1,500 square kilometers within Maasai territory... They violently dispersed members of the Maasai community who had gathered to protest... shot and teargassed members of the Maasai who resisted forced eviction, injuring at least 40 people... Many community members fled from their homes to hide in the wilderness. They hid for weeks with their relatives in the forest and national park, not in any specific place since they were constantly moving as they grazed their livestock... Livestock belonging to community members gets impounded by the authorities whenever they stray to the demarcated land and the owners are forced to pay exorbitant fines to have them released. Those who are unable to pay the fines have their animals auctioned off by the authorities, leaving them impoverished...


Many fled the country... As of May 2023, about 60 families were still living in Narok, Kenya. They are living in impoverishment and lack access to livelihoods. The violations are now everyday life for those that were forced to leave their homes."


"Presentism" is the act of judging the actions of people from a past era, based on the knowledge and moral standards that we possess today. For instance, it is true that just about all of Africa was forcefully taken from people who lacked a flag, border maps, and signed documents. As awful as that was, perhaps the perpetrators of those crimes in the era of colonization could be excused for judging themselves by a different set of moral standards.


Today, however, we have full awareness of the Maasai’s presence, their way of life, and the adverse effects that previous relocations have had on their people. In this present time, knowing what we know now, it seems appallingly immoral that the Tanzanian authorities could justify violently forcing the Maasai off the land which they depend on to survive.

Arusha - part 3

Our Lessons

Tanzanite: the next “big thing”? Surrounded by sparkly blueish-purple stones that change color depending on the light, it was unusually hard to pull Eric away from the jewelry store! Named by Tiffany & Co. after “Tanzania”, the precious stone’s deposits are still only known to exist here, in Tanzania! To this time, it is reported that Tanzanite’s presence is limited to a very small 7 x 2 km area of the ground. It is noteworthy for its remarkable trichroism: switching alternately between hues of blue, violet, and burgundy, depending on crystal orientation. Official estimates are that the world’s tanzanite mines may run out completely in less than 30 years. Perhaps the salesman innocently misplaced a decimal, because he told us the mines were due to run out in just three years, and pointed out that he even had one customer who took out a loan to purchase Tanzanite since it was “so certain” that it would go up in value. For now, a $15 set of ‘raw’ Tanzanite earrings from Eric is good enough for me.


"Kindness is a language which blind people can see and deaf people can hear." Founded in 2007, Shanga, a Swahili word for "bead," has trained and employed over 34 people with disabilities to learn the skills of weaving, glass blowing, beading, paper making, and metalwork—using mostly recycled materials. We saw the incredibly creative products that were made by these highly skilled individuals, and we formed connections that were beyond words. It was here that a warmhearted deaf woman patiently taught me how to weave, and gifted me with a friendship bracelet. We also met Masoud, the first little person to Summit Mt. Kilimanjaro! Truly, their craftsmanship and hospitality have turned their "disability" into a priceless "ability."

Nairobi - part 1

Our Lessons

Taking a bus across the border from Tanzania into Kenya ended up being more eventful than expected: when a shady immigration officer noticed our American passports, she politely asked us to step aside and wait while she processed all of the other people in line. When a new bus full of travelers arrived, she waved them over instead of us. Observing that all of the passengers from our bus had already been processed and were waiting outside, Eric interrupted to question why we had to wait to get our prepaid East Africa visas signed off. The officer responded nonspecifically that it was 'complicated.' An eavesdropping local tapped Eric on the shoulder and said, "She's trying to cheat you. She wants you to get fed up and offer her money to expedite your wait. Don't pay yet. I'll help you." The local man approached the counter in front of us and spoke with the officer in Swahili. Without another word, the officer frustratingly pointed at us, then gestured towards her colleague at the adjacent counter. We stepped up, and her colleague completed our paperwork within seconds. Breathing a sigh of relief, we returned to our bus just in time and reflected on yet another act of blunt dishonesty at a nation's border.

The streets of Nairobi are extremely lively, with countless vendors squeezing into every corner to find a space to sell their goods: under bridges, along construction barriers—even in between vehicles! Downtown, we frequently observed sellers laying their items on the ground, out on top of bedsheets between two parked cars. When someone needed to pull their car out, the seller would quickly scoop everything up using their sheet and then lay everything back out once the space was available again. Similar to Lusaka, there are countless vendors walking in between congested traffic, trying to sell just one or two specific items that they are holding. Sadly, another common sight here is parents walking with their children, begging for money.

Nairobi - part 2

Our Lessons

During our visit, a major highway project was about to be completed: the Nairobi Expressway. We learned this highway was a $585 million USD "investment," paid for entirely by China. In fact, it was reported that China has been investing in major infrastructure projects all over Africa, particularly in the last decade. African leaders have been pleased, applauding Chinese companies for getting the job done quickly (importantly, before those same African leaders are up for re-election!). The Economist in 2022 pointed out that a new construction contract with China can take just three months to negotiate and get started; whereas a contract with the World Bank could take five years to negotiate.


Why would China help Africa, we asked? At that time, The Economist highlighted the following reasons:


1. China can profit financially. In the case of the Nairobi Expressway, Kenya's government will have to repay China, by allowing Chinese companies to operate and collect all toll revenue for the road for the next 27 years. A similar 20-year revenue arrangement was made when China recently built Uganda's only international airport (our next destination). Furthermore, infrastructure projects put Chinese companies in charge of Africa's prized natural resources, including precious metals, which are key to the modern technologies we use.


2. New projects offer good-paying jobs... for Chinese workers. Apparently, China brings in its own citizens to work on these projects, instead of hiring locally—particularly to fill all of the best positions, i.e. the ones that offer higher pay and offer opportunities for vertical mobility up the workforce.


3. Power in global politics: At one point, thirty African countries had formal relations with Taiwan. Then, China began investing in infrastructure projects in more of these countries. Now, only one African nation continues to recognize and have relations with Taiwan (that's a lot of lost United Nations votes!). This is a clear demonstration of how the power of money can switch allegiances; however, there are also more direct reports of Chinese companies perpetuating corruption. For example, in Zambia, Chinese contractors selected road projects that would politically benefit China’s favored politicians, and they have inflated the estimated cost of those projects, to boost profits and kickbacks for those they support.


Unfortunately, it sounds like these projects are not really sharing wealth or opportunities with the African people; instead, they provide small financial wins and big geopolitical wins for China as it grows on the world stage. Yes, Nairobi does get a new expressway, which will improve the comfort of millions of commuters (at least, those who are wealthy enough to pay a daily toll). However, we wonder if well-intentioned companies could help more by choosing to invest in projects that are mutually profitable, while also providing opportunities that empower African citizens. As of 2023, perhaps a window is opening up for Western nations to show that they can do better. According to Japan's Nikkei Asia, Beijing's global infrastructure development strategy dropped by 55% in 2022. "'The decrease in funding could provide an opportunity for the U.S. and the E.U. to increase their engagement with the region,' said Uche Igwe, a Nigerian political economist."

Nairobi - part 3

Our Lessons

In the meantime, it seems like everyone in Nairobi is trying hard to pay the rent and put food on the table, especially during our visit in post-COVID times. This situation certainly applied to our local tour guide, Nicholas, who proclaimed his belief that “everyone needs to become an entrepreneur in Nairobi!” Nicholas shared with us his business ventures over the past two years: Prior to the pandemic, he had purchased secondhand used shoes from Europe to resell. However, when border closures occurred, he was unable to import more shoes. Once his supplies ran out, he shifted to advertising used cars on Instagram (he never even sees the cars in person, he explained, but he makes a commission off the sale by connecting sellers to buyers). Realizing the generalizability of this business concept, Nicholas then started doing the same thing with shoes—becoming a “middleman” for shoe sellers looking for buyers. "There are endless opportunities here; you just need to wake up, hustle, and be adaptable," he said. When Nicholas saw that being a tour guide could be profitable, he picked up this side gig as well! He spent months learning the history of Nairobi, talking to locals, and understanding the purpose and story behind each building along his tour route. He is slowly improving his craft... and he is even advertising himself as offering tours in Spanish, even though he is just learning Spanish now. Apparently, this is what you have to do when you live in a city of 4.5 million people and formal jobs are scarce. A favorite phrase of Nicholas: “Nairobi ti kwa nyûkwa” ("Nairobi is not your mother's home!"). “You have to create your own opportunities because no one can take care of you, but you!”


Indeed, a hustler’s life seems to be the necessary mentality for the majority of the people we encountered while exploring Nairobi. Just like in Lusaka, however, we appreciated that people here are very respectful: Walking its busiest market streets like Tom Mboya St., we didn't feel harassed or strongly forced to purchase anything that we didn't want.

Nairobi - part 4

Our Lessons

Due to traffic, sometimes it seems that getting around on foot is actually the most efficient way to navigate downtown Nairobi (on more than one occasion, we did exactly this). If the distance is far and the money is short, however, the cheapest way of getting around is the bus, called matatus. Matatu is a short way of saying "3 shillings" in Swahili, as this was the price that drivers used to shout when trying to solicit passengers. Matatus are old, privately-owned minibuses, that can vary substantially in quality based on how much passengers are willing to pay. For instance, if you have a bit of extra money and want to be part of a moving "party" during your commute, Nairobi is the city for you! Just hop on one of the many tricked-out, music-pounding matatus along your route. Each bus is elaborately decorated with a unique "theme"... for example, Batman, Jesus Christ, Jack Sparrow, Niki Minaj, and countless other rappers, music artists, and heroic icons.


Operating slightly “above the law” due to a bribe-based relationship with the police, we are told matatu drivers tend to stop anywhere to drop off/pick up passengers, and that police have been known to completely stop traffic to give matatus priority at the busiest intersections.


When the police are absent, however, all traffic here gets very, very chaotic. Pedestrian lights are merely a suggestion, and people here walk in between cars to get around Nairobi’s gridlocked streets. During rush hour, cars and mopeds hop across dirt meridians, and literally drive the wrong way against oncoming traffic, to avoid standing still! We experienced this firsthand during our first bus ride into Nairobi.

Of note, Kenya's presidential elections were approaching at the time of our visit. However, our guide Nicholas expressed his view that many Kenyans don't pay enough attention to national politics. This, he says, is because the nation consists of over 40 unique “tribes,” which have been arbitrarily grouped together into one country; hence, there seems to be less of a national identity. An “active” tribe, from what we are told, is a distinct cultural group that still clusters together in specific villages. Tribes speak different languages, and there are often still local conflicts between them. For Nicholas, moving from a small Kikuyo village to Nairobi for high school was initially very challenging, because all his life he had been taught certain stereotypes and assumptions about each tribe—which he quickly discovered were not true once he met his diverse classmates in person. Nicholas pointed out that Nairobi is really a "melting pot" of people of different cultures. As such, he hopes that the younger generations will develop more of a communal identity as "one nation," which looks beyond the tribal differences and prejudices of their ancestors.

Nairobi - part 5

Our Lessons

The word Giraffe actually means "fast-walker" in Arabic (although because of the size of their strides, they actually look like they run in slow-motion to us). Giraffes are indeed the world’s tallest living land animals, which explains why a group of giraffes is called a "tower." An adult male can grow to around 5.5 m… and as we experienced firsthand at Nairobi’s Giraffe Centre, they also have ridiculously long tongues! Growing as long as 20 inches, their rough, slimy tongues easily snatched food right out of our hands—although their tongue is more traditionally used to pull the leaves off the tops of thorned acacia trees. The bumpiness of the tongue is due to its thickened papillae, which helps to protect it from these vicious thorns. In addition to using their long necks to reach high branches to feed, male giraffes also establish social hierarchies through "necking”: a form of combat, in which giraffes swing their necks at each other like a weapon.

Nairobi - part 6

Our Lessons

The food of Nairobi seemed quite similar to the neighboring country of Tanzania. The base often consists of ugali (a mix of ground-up maize and potatoes), with lots of beef or chicken. Halal food is also popular, as there is a significant population of Indian and Arabic people living here in Nairobi! Eric was quite impressed with the discovery of delicious ‘smoothie floats,’ which were served to us at one Halal restaurant; however, his indulgence may have led him to come down with a stomach bug!

Looking at this bustling from above was an unforgettable sight—even when the horizon was covered in smog and dust. In the distant southwest, we see the outline of the awkwardly named district of ‘Karen,’ which we are told holds the majority of white, upper-class members of Nairobi society. Oddly, in our two days living in Nairobi's Central Business District, we were literally the only two white or Asian people that we saw! Sadly, our airport taxi driver informed us that wealthier members of Kenyan society almost completely avoid downtown Nairobi, because they consider it too busy, too crowded, and too dirty.

Kampala - part 1

Our Lessons

After a 1907 tour of Africa, Winston Churchill commented: “For magnificence, for variety of form and color, for the profusion of brilliant life — bird, insect, reptile, beast — for vast scale — Uganda is truly the Pearl of Africa.”


In contrast to Mr. Churchill, our first impression upon setting foot in Uganda's capital city of Kampala was slightly more intense, and intimidating. Admittedly, we had deliberately chosen to stay in an area that would provide us with a more authentic experience than tourists often get: the bustling transit hub downtown. However, we didn't realize that the hotel's only "drop-off" area was literally the central bus station for the city. As our taxi approached an open parking space, we were immediately surrounded by over a dozen men, walking alongside and leaning into our open windows as we pulled to a stop! Clearly working to earn a commission and hoping we were here to take a bus, each man tried his best to get our attention and even direct the car towards the bus they were working for. The overwhelming feeling of so many eyes and hands on us (and our luggage) gave us a false first impression that we would need to be extra cautious during our time in Kampala...

Kampala - part 2

Our Lessons

...Luckily, the rest of our stay would prove otherwise: Despite having grown up in a chaotic hustler's environment, every Ugandan we met was so kind—and ironically, very soft-spoken! It felt as if we were constantly having to ask the Ugandans we met to "Speak up, please!" (and we still ask ourselves if Ugandans have super hearing). One possible reason for this, we were told, is that most native Ugandan languages are tonal in nature. Many of these languages do not have a specific word for 'please'; rather, politeness is conveyed by the way words are expressed. When learning English in school later in life, Ugandans naturally maintain the soft-spoken manner of expression that they grew up with.

Kampala - part 3

Our Lessons

Uganda’s new, Chinese-built Entebbe Airport is accompanied by a modern, expansive highway, where glistening new highrise buildings can be seen under construction on our way to the capital city. Upon approaching Kampala city center, however, the scene changes dramatically: roads, buildings, homes, and everything in between are in various states of disrepair. From the open, unguarded rooftop of our hotel, we could visibly see the lack of infrastructure in almost all directions. Peering down in the northern direction, a shanty town extended right up to our hotel's side facade, with dirt paths and children playing in the drain water. To the south, a sewage leak spilled over the road in front of several restaurants, which occupy haphazardly constructed buildings. To the east, children cheerfully competed in a lively game of soccer in a large open field. A few blocks westward, we watched a beautiful sunset over the silhouette of the National Mosque.

Kampala - part 4

Our Lessons

We did not have to go far to find local goods being sold outdoors, as every inch of the city appears to be used as a makeshift storefront. In a sadly familiar scene, vendors have tarps laid out with food: underneath highways, over sewer drains, and sidewalks. ‘Daycare’ does not appear to be not an option here, as we often saw women keeping their children with them, even on their backs, or simultaneously breastfeeding, while selling their fruit or vegetables. I fondly remember all the smiling children (and their mothers), with whom I shared a bunch of bananas! Sadly, we are told public education is neither good nor entirely free here; so, many parents can’t afford to send their kids to school. Heartbreakingly, we observed a lot of children begging for food. Our tour guide explained that many homeless people are illegal immigrants from Rwanda, whose lives are even more difficult compared to local Ugandans.

Kampala - part 5

Our Lessons

Despite personally coming from humble beginnings, it is a ripping, devastating feeling for me to see the struggles of our fellow humans, who cannot even be assured that they will have the simplest necessities in life—food, water, and shelter. With all of our technology today, is it really impossible for us to end world hunger in the 21st century?

Kampala - part 6

Our Lessons

Similar to Kenyans, most Ugandans also have to do a variety of jobs to maintain financial stability, and once again, the pandemic amplified this. For instance, Tonny, our tour guide and friend, took us to the open meat market—which honestly seemed like the most unsanitary market we have ever been to. Here, individual meat vendors buy in bulk freshly butchered meats in the early morning, for resale at their station later. In the scorching sun, without refrigeration, ice, or packaging, these vendors are pressured to finish selling their portion by the afternoon. The odor was intense, and the blood of sliced meat poured like a stream across the market floor. This was the only place where we saw dozens of giant vultures perched over every nearby rooftop, all waiting to swoop down for a bite the moment a vendor left his post. Tonny showed us his own station: a tiny 3 x 4 foot counter space in the corner which he rents, for use on days he is not working as a tour guide. Tonny works almost shoulder-to-shoulder with rows of competing meat vendors, but he proudly says that some clients always choose him because he knows how to get quality products. He says the work is hard, but it is necessary if he wants to earn any savings.

Kampala - part 7

Our Lessons

As he shared with us his tribe's wedding traditions, we learned that saving up money is particularly important to Tonny at this time. In addition to financing a civil wedding, the man is expected to present a dowry to the bride’s family, which includes one cow and two sheep. He must also get blessings from the king of his tribe, to make the marriage official. Due to financial hardship in modern Uganda, it is common for this process to not need to be completed before husband and wife begin a life together as partners; indeed in Tonny’s case, he already has two children and is still working on getting the dowry together! Of note, Tonny is from the Buganda kingdom and speaks Luganda (the most common local language here and in Rwanda). As in Kenya, here in Uganda, there are still active tribes, with active kingdoms. Tribal kings have some influence on domestic policy as they represent their people, who are Ugandan citizens.

Kampala-countryside

Our Lessons

While riding across many different regions of Uganda, we unfortunately observed some of the most open, and unashamed acts of corruption. At several police checkpoints, our driver was openly asked by officers to give them money. Requests were not subtle, our driver said, with one officer blatantly stating: “I see you are working with tourists today, so you can share some money with me?" (This perhaps contrasts with a U.N. worker from Zimbabwe that we met, who notes that in his home country, such requests would be thinly veiled, with a statement such as "I could use a cup of tea today") Not surprisingly, most jobs in Uganda are acquired based on connections, not merit; likewise, quality medical care often involves a bribe, we are told. Despite knowing this action is clearly wrong, most ordinary people are forced to participate, to survive the system. As we've previously observed, it is clear that improved education will help gradually address these issues; however, a quicker way to jump-start change could be an international investment in honest businesses, which can provide sustainable wages and discourage corrupt behaviors.


The drive towards our first safari brought us across the Equator line—and for a moment, we felt like we were at the center of it all. Straddling between the Northern and Southern hemispheres, Eric commented that this far surpassed the “thrill” of standing on the border of two U.S. states at the same time. Expecting some heat at the Equator, we were surprised that it was actually quite chilly; in fact, the majority of our time spent in Uganda was cool, since we were always high up in altitude (even the capital city of Kampala is 1,190 meters, or 4,000 feet above sea level).

Queen Elizabeth National Park - part 1

Our Lessons

The landscape of Queen Elizabeth National Park was striking—with golden savannahs interspersed with enormous brilliant green cactus trees. The horizon was dotted with tall mountain peaks. The park is divided by a canal connecting two lakes (Lake George and Lake Edward), and the flora and fauna were quite different depending on which side we were on, resulting in never a dull moment as we journeyed across these plains.

Queen Elizabeth National Park - part 2

Our Lessons

One highlight for us was a boat tour along the Kazinga Channel, which was teeming with hippos (the most dense population of hippos in the world, we were told). Large families of hippos huddled close together as they relaxed along the sides of the riverbank. In an adorable moment, we witnessed one baby climb onto his mother’s back for a better view of our boat… but he ended up slipping, and rolling off onto the head of an adjacent sleeping hippo—creating a chain reaction of startled, jumping hippos! There were also tons of Nile crocodiles sunbathing, intermixed with elephants battling each other for territory and intermittently scratching their itchy backs on the dirt cliffs. Buffalo, baboons, warthogs, and countless bird species all made frequent appearances. Wow; this was definitely the most “high-yield,” densely populated animal experience of all the safaris we have been on!

As tourists, we were treated like royalty throughout Uganda. Service workers catered to our every need—even more than compared to other African countries, in our experience. At times, the attention was to an awkward level when we were the only tourists in an entire hotel; for example, standing with eyes locked on us intently while we ate, ready to spring to action the moment we needed anything!

Queen Elizabeth National Park - part 3

Our Lessons

Queen Elizabeth National Park - part 4

Our Lessons

“Now, I’ll begin with your Chimpanzee trek safety briefing… oh, wait! We have to run now, or we’ll miss them! Go fast!” These were the first words out of the mouth of our AK-47-wielding park ranger, as she rushed us to follow the sounds of a fast-moving family of chimpanzees through the dense jungle of the Kyambura Gorge. We were told that not every tour is successful in finding this elusive group, which consists of approximately 30 chimps. Luckily, after a lot of sprinting, scrambling up and down hills, and following them back and forth across a river using a fallen log, we eventually succeeded in tracking them down!


As we found out firsthand, chimps living in the wild are fast. Just following one casually 'walking' along a pedestrian trail requires a human to jog to keep up (yes, these chimps are smart and use the pre-made human trails instead of weaving through the bushes). Once the chimps came to a rest to feed, we were finally able to observe them close up—and they did not seem to be bothered at all by our presence. In a potentially heart-racing moment, two male chimps walked inches away from Eric as they passed us along the trail. However, both simply turned and made casual eye contact with him, then continued on, unphased. Moments later, we witnessed another pair lying down right in front of us, sprawled out on their backs. The young chimps were particularly cute, but unfortunately, they were too shy to get close to us. This was one of the most inspiring animal encounters for us, as we got to live for a second in the shoes of one of our inspiring humans, Jane Goodall!

Buhoma - part 1

Our Lessons

Making our way south along gravel roads, we skirted the edge of Uganda's western border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We settled for the night in the small town of Buhoma, where we partook in a community tour, guided by some locals. We were greeted by some of the most joyful faces at a private elementary school, which serves children aged 3 to 8. Similar to our local encounters in other areas of Uganda, the children enthusiastically waved at our colorful Land Cruiser as we approached—then immediately surrounded us when they realized we were there to visit them during their break. Our hearts melted as we looked at all those friendly faces and curious eyes staring back at us. The most memorable moment was when I started clapping and reciting the ABCs. They immediately followed, singing the entire song as a group… and not wanting the fun to end there, they proceeded to start counting, all the way from one to one hundred!


These little angels did not want anything from us besides our warm smiles and kind hugs. This is how children are, everywhere. It is up to each of us adults to help empower our children with proper education and opportunities so that they can grow up to be good people who will continue to pass down the core values of humanity.


Similar to the rest of Uganda, the level of poverty here was very transparent. While exploring town, we saw a child walking barefoot on the sharp rocky path, on the way home from school. Overtaken with emotion, I bought this sweet little girl a pair of shoes and socks. It is a heartbreaking sight to realize that some parents could not afford even this simple necessity.

Buhoma - part 2

Our Lessons

While here, we met up with a “traditional healer,” who explained to us his plant-based approach to providing care. As medical providers trained in strictly evidence-based practices, we obviously felt some resistance when it came to the questionable validity of “all-natural” treatment regimens. However, we can definitely see the benefits of partnering with trusted members of the community such as him. In an exemplary partnership, this healer works alongside medical doctors at a nearby hospital, and he does not hesitate to refer patients to the hospital for situations he cannot handle. Given their strong ties to the community and humanity's millennia-old perceptions of natural remedies, it is important to recognize that traditional healers and modern medical providers should be on the same team, given that we share one goal to improve the lives of our patients.


For instance: modern medicines are derived from natural plants, and in fact, most medicine is plant extract, which has simply been removed of toxic impurities and concentrated into measurable doses. In this form, patients can receive a safe and precise quantity of medication, based on their body's specific needs. It seems that the traditional healer we met understands this, and it is great to find a place where tradition is partnering with science.

Uganda is known to have some of the sweetest pineapples, and countless types of bananas—and here, the latter is used to make banana beer, banana wine, banana gin—and banana-based foods. One of the most common local dishes is called matoke, which consists of green bananas, cooked in various vegetable sauces, and served with meat, rice, or cassava. Bananas themselves are often used as the primary carbohydrate base across East Africa—indeed, many meaty and saucy dishes are served alongside bananas, instead of rice or Irish potatoes (by the way: "Irish potatoes" are what we Westerners would just call "potatoes"... but the clarification here is necessary, as there are several types of potatoes in Uganda).


In Buhoma, we were able to see how banana-based drinks were traditionally produced. It is not the most appealing process: Bananas are unpeeled and mashed by people's bare feet, just like grapes into wine. Water is then added because mashed bananas by themselves do not contain much liquid. For banana-based alcohols, this "banana juice" is then stored away and fermented! Gin is similarly distilled, and it seemed the most sterile option for us to taste-test. It was honestly quite delicious.

Buhoma - part 3

Our Lessons

The “small” people of the forest: These lands were formerly occupied by the Batwa, one of the populations known by the British as the "Pygmies" (Latin for “small”). Scientifically, an internet search leaves us a bit confused as to the origins of the Batwa’s short stature. Some theorized that they had an autosomal recessive form of proportionate dwarfism; however, newer articles suggest a deficiency of hormones (growth hormone or insulin-like growth factor). Other theorists propose their stature is an adaptation to life in the primeval forest: small bodies regulate heat better, need less food, and are more agile when moving through dense vegetation. In any case, after being displaced from their lands, the Batwa began intermixing with local non-Batwa communities. Today, it is mostly the oldest community members who remain remarkably short.


We visited a model village that the Batwa use for tourism, designed to help fund their community. We felt genuinely welcomed as the Batwa people showcased to us their traditional ways of life in the forest, which they no longer practice. We loved the energy they displayed through their traditional song and dances (it was not before long that I found myself joining right in!). Although made for tourists, this village experience did not feel "cheesy," or fake—honestly a pleasant contrast to our Maasai Village tour in Tanzania. Here, everyone seemed to be truly having a good time, with or without us!

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - part 1

Our Lessons

Perhaps the most memorable trek of our lives was one with our fellow evolutionary ancestor, the great silverback gorilla of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Our hike began early morning, descending down a valley of extremely dense vegetation, escorted this time by three rangers carrying machetes and AK-47s. In these parts, the plant life around the trail grows so fast that the rangers need to recut the path on a regular basis. We learned that mountain gorillas are highly endangered, and currently, only about a thousand exist around the world. The largest population of 400 gorillas is in Uganda, and because of their limited number, the National Park actually employs gorilla “trackers”—a group of scout rangers who follow each family of gorillas on foot from dawn until dusk, to help protect them from poachers. These trackers also play a key role in generating tourist revenue, by notifying the rangers who accompany tour groups of the approximate location of these migratory gorilla families.


After an hour of hacking our way through the forest and being hilariously carried across two rushing rivers by the rangers, we saw movement in the nearby bushes. The unseen primate emitted a thunderous grunt, to which others responded in kind—there were several close by, but they all remained hidden from us behind the dense jungle. Our ranger let out a throaty growl of his own, which seemed to be a reassuring call to "calm down." A moment later, a towering silverback male emerged in front of us! He was calmly snacking on every green leaf in sight, as he casually inspected us (a good multi-tasker). As he let out gentle grunts, the rest of his family members came into view, one by one—including other adults, a large pregnant female, and 2 cute four-year-old juveniles following behind their mother. This time it was my turn for a ‘close encounter’: an adult male walked directly in front of me, looked at me calmly, and then proceeded to sit down directly in front of me and Eric. We made calm eye contact for quite some time.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - part 2

Our Lessons

Staring into the eyes of this clever being was a feeling like no other; it was as if he was talking to us without any words. There was no fear, but rather a sense of understanding and curiosity, very different from other animals we have encountered. Unlike chimpanzees who live in a large community, gorillas live in a smaller family unit and are not territorial. They are much bigger than chimps, but somehow seemed very gentle—and they definitely did not seem annoyed by us, unlike in viral YouTube videos (which we would only assume resulted from the gorilla being provoked). In fact, they are so humanlike in their understanding, that tourists previously had been allowed to hold the playful baby gorillas! Unfortunately, due to the fact that we share 96% of our genetic makeup, we are at high risk of sharing diseases with gorillas, so these closest encounters have been disallowed since COVID-19. Once again, it is incredible to us how massive and powerful these gorillas can get, despite eating an exclusively plant-based diet!


For anyone who believes that vegetarian men have less B.O., let the male gorilla be a case for counterpoint: As the first trekker in the group, I approached the alpha silverback by myself, encouraged by a ranger who stayed a few steps behind. Suddenly, I was struck by a tremendously pungent, musky stench! As I learned, gorilla males have apocrine (scent) glands in their armpits that have a fascinating ability to be switched ‘off’ if around strangers or a stronger adversary; and back ‘on’ when relaxed, to exercise dominance… or to sweep a gal like me right off her feet (but not in a good way!).


After over an hour of following this gorilla family around the forest, across another river, and up the trees, we definitely did not want to leave them. However, a maximum of one hour in their presence is mandated by the park service, to avoid excessively interrupting their lives in the wild. Visiting the gorillas was the highlight of our entire trip to Africa. Given their fragile existence today, we feel more inspired than ever to advocate for the preservation of their ecosystems, so that our future generations can also marvel at their magnificence.

Lake Bunyonyi - part 1

Our Lessons

While still reminiscing about our recent incredible encounters in the heart of the Impenetrable Forest, we set out again in our Land Cruiser, journeying up and down the primitive mountain roads. We passed countless beautiful farming terraces with steep cliffs, eventually arriving at our next destination: Lake Bunyonyi. Scientific literature generally quotes this lake to have a maximum depth of 40 m (130 ft), but some tour guides and locals insist that it is much deeper: about 900 m (3,000 ft), which would make it the second-deepest lake in Africa. This is quite a tourist-enticing exaggeration, assuming it has not been backed up by any hard proof!


Similar to Lake Titicaca in Peru, the best way to view this large lake’s twenty-nine islands was by boat. After enduring a few minutes of pouring rain, the skies quickly cleared to reveal a misty, mountainous backdrop. As we approached our secluded hotel along the water, lush green terraces came into view. Despite the chilly water temperature (at 2,000 meters altitude), we took the opportunity to jump in, since this was probably one of the only lakes in Uganda that is not filled with hippos and crocodiles!


Once again, our hotel was empty in this post-pandemic period, with only one of its 16 chalets occupied (with us). Despite this, the level of service here was again so accommodating. The staff went above and beyond by setting a campfire for us in the evening along the water, and by preparing a private breakfast in a secluded spot overlooking the most peaceful mountain scenery, covered in morning dew. What a pleasant and relaxing end to our journey across this breathtaking "Pearl of Africa."

Lake Bunyonyi - part 2

Our Lessons

We have been to only 8 countries in Africa, but we can certainly say beyond any doubt that this is a land full of natural beauty, rich cultures, genuine people, and delicious cuisines... as well as complicated history and challenging politics. Every country we have visited here is so unique; it would be a tragic misconception for anyone to think of “Africa” as a single culture. No matter where you start, Africa is definitely a continent worth visiting, and we hope to be back one day soon.

Entebbe

Our Lessons

On our way back to Uganda's only international airport, we explored a very unique park: an airplane graveyard along the beach. Seeing these foreign-built hunks of decaying metal made us reflect on expectation, versus reality in Africa. Certainly, the romanticized Western image of a smiling boy in "tribal" clothing, perhaps proudly carrying a spear with the backdrop of an open savannah, is not representative of the ‘real’ Africa. In ways, it is a harmful depiction. It draws attention away from the hardships people face: hardships that were brought on by dramatic cultural disruption during a past period of colonialism—and which continue to be perpetuated by present-day choices that nations and businesses make.


Certainly, it is praiseworthy and should feel ‘good’ to donate to charities that provide care for people in dire straits, in any part of the world. Equally important, however, is voting for leaders and supporting businesses whose policies help to empower and improve the socioeconomic circumstances of Africa: by providing appropriate wages, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, opportunities for fair trade, and better governance.

Paris - part 1

Our Lessons

Upon leaving Africa, we took an opportunity to visit some family in Western Europe, and we adopted a new travel partner: my loving and spontaneous mother!


Rudeness in Paris? Eric’s theory: No; despite this common perception from outsiders, Parisians are not actually “rude.” Rather, they simply have cultural norms that are different from ours. In Paris, perhaps it would just be considered weirdly unnecessary to say “sorry” if you lightly bump into someone while navigating a busy street, or while squeezing into a seat at a crowded counter… because it’s not the social norm to do that there.


If we accept Eric's hypothesis, then on the contrary, our personal experience was that Parisians are actually quite friendly, in their own ways. For example: on one occasion our taxi driver offered to round down our metered fare from 23 to 20 Euros, without being prompted. In another instance, our waiter noticed my phone had a low battery, and offered to charge it without my asking. Another taxi driver openly gave us tips on ways to get around cheaper (and without a taxi, it should be noted!). This driver even went out of his way to show us how to use a helpful phone app called TheFork, which we used to get up to 50% meal discounts at several fine French restaurants.

Paris - part 2

Our Lessons

Paris is one of the most beautiful cities we have seen. To be fair: just about every capital city we’ve visited has sections that are just as beautiful as Paris; it's just that Paris is pretty much beautiful everywhere (no doubt this is in part due to the former French empire's ability to amass wealth from around the world).


Here, every street is lined with grandiose architecture, designed in the French provincial, Baroque, and classical Roman styles (in this way, France's past leaders made no efforts to hide their man-crushes on historic rulers like Julius Caesar). Wide sidewalks give plenty of room to get around; we really did not feel crowded for space as tourists. And if one judges by the volume of wedding proposals that happen here, what a romantic city it is. Within 5 minutes of arriving in Paris and sitting down at our first restaurant, we witnessed a man get down on one knee… and we all clapped as she said yes!

How could we not talk about French cuisine while in Paris? As we explored on foot, it felt as if every corner featured enticing aromas, emanating from beautifully-decorated bakeries. Cobblestone pedestrian streets with old-style windows were our favorite places; each window provided a view into a cozy, well-lit restaurant that just beckoned a visit (and for us, they did not disappoint!).


Snow in April… what the French? Good thing our Airbnb apartment was just a block from the Eiffel Tower, to avoid walking far in the cold. Of course, for the premium location at a suspiciously reasonable price, there were a few snags: yes, a small studio space was to be expected. However, with an ad that stated “Sleeps 4,” we did not anticipate that the only shower would be in a clear glass box, translucent from head-to-toe, situated next to the beds. As a result, Eric and my mom amusingly had to take turns waiting in the cramped 'toilet closet' whenever the other needed privacy to change and shower.

Paris - part 3

Our Lessons

Paris - part 4

Our Lessons

Paris is a city of low-rise buildings: Aside from downtown and a couple of scattered apartment complexes, there are almost no highrises at all. Further, there is a noticeable deficit of rooftop restaurants, despite the obvious potential for unobstructed views of the Eiffel Tower that patrons could enjoy. The lack of tall buildings was made a permanent feature of Paris after 1973 when the construction of the Montparnasse Tower office building was allowed to take place uninhibited. This 59-story monolith was immediately considered an ‘eyesore’ and became the subject of many protests. In response to the situation, the City Council set a height limit of 37 meters (121 ft) for any new buildings constructed within the city limits. This allowed the view of Paris’s famous monuments—the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur, and Notre-Dame—to remain unobstructed.

Paris - part 5

Our Lessons

The Galeries Lafayette is the most ornately decorated mall we have ever seen, with incredible French Baroque architecture, a stained-glass atrium, and balcony views on every level. Stepping into this mall made us feel as if we had been transported into a gorgeous theater or opera house. The mall’s open rooftop is also beautiful, offering panoramic views of all of Paris’s major landmarks. Not surprisingly, Galeries Lafayette sells mostly high-end brands. If we ever decide to invest in a Hermes purse for 15,000 Euros, this would be one of many places in Paris we could go. For now, we will stick with our genuinely fake Louis Vuitton bag, purchased from the humble back alleys of New York City. The mall will certainly not go out of business without us, however, as many women here have adopted a 'walking the runway' look with their trendy fashion.


The adjacent Lindt Chocolate store is another reason to head to this part of town. Have you ever tried a “shot” of pure melted milk chocolate… or pistachio and strawberries-and-cream-flavored Lindor truffles? Eric had not, until this day, and he was more than pleased. This is one of several chocolate factories in this area—a dessert lover’s paradise and a perfect destination for Eric’s 35th birthday celebration.


I personally fell in love with Ladurée, the most famous Paris bakery for macarons. We learned that this is the bakery that, in the mid-1800s, became known for “inventing” the modern macaron—the type with two cookies, and cream sandwiched in between. Ladurée's delicious recipes have changed very little since that time, and we see no reason why they should!

Paris - part 6

Our Lessons

I must admit that I intentionally omitted certain details about Paris's underground tunnels from Mom. Her reaction was thus highly amusing when she realized the thousands of skulls and bones lining these dimly-lit passageways were, in fact, real human remains!


The Paris Catacombs have a fascinating origin story, which stems from the simultaneous culmination of two dramatic problems in Paris’s history: an excess of underground mining tunnels, and an overabundance of dead bodies buried beneath this overpopulated, millennia-old city.


In the 18th century, Paris's rapid population growth was causing the city’s cemeteries to be literally overflowing with the dead. The stench of decomposing flesh had become intolerable. Meanwhile, the city's underground limestone tunnels were caving in—tunnels that had been created while mining the very stones from which the city was built. The weight of the growing city above was creating giant sinkholes, and entire buildings and blocks were collapsing! In 1777, the King began a project to stabilize the entire system of subterranean mine shafts. Simultaneously, it was decided that these tunnels could be the perfect way to solve Paris's dead-body problem. It took two years of nightly work to empty the majority of Paris’s cemeteries. A priest accompanied every wagonload of remains, in order to chant Catholic prayers to ensure that they remained at peace. In total, six million bodies were estimated to have been moved. Then, a century later, Emperor Napoleon decided the remains should be stacked and organized, and the tunnels open to the public as a symbol of pride for all to see. His inspiration, like all things "Napoleon," was the glory of ancient Rome (which also had its own catacombs)!

Paris - part 7

Our Lessons

The Eiffel Tower was sponsored (not built) by a rich entrepreneur named Gustave Eiffel, for the 1880 World’s Fair. Today it is a symbol not only of France but of 'travel' itself. However, at the time of its conception, the idea of the Tower was despised by many Parisians, leading to protests. Despite the backlash, with the World's Fair rapidly approaching, it was decided there was insufficient time to come up with an alternative design, and the Tower's construction began. Luckily for Mr. Eiffel, once the tower was completed and Parisians were able to experience its beauty in person, they quickly had a change of heart. To their delight, 20 years later, Eiffel managed to thwart preconceived plans for his Tower's demolition by demonstrating its utility as a radio tower. During World War II, the tower's height made it infamous for its ability to intercept German radio communications. Shortly before the liberation of France, the tower once again narrowly escaped demise: in 1944, a vengeful Hitler ordered his military governor to place explosives around all of Paris's landmarks, to demolish the city when Allied forces approached. Luckily for the world, this order was never carried out, reportedly because it was at this moment that the Nazi governor realized "Hitler was insane."


As for Mr. Eiffel, it turns out he was a pretty wild investor. Although he won fame and success from his Tower, we learned that Eiffel was actually never able to use the profits he made from it! This is because he had simultaneously invested in France’s first attempt to build the Panama Canal, which failed horribly and left him with huge debt and lawsuits.

Paris - part 8

Our Lessons

The Louvre: arguably the most famous museum in the world. It is an enormous royal palace that has existed, and expanded, since the 1500s (that makes it a century older than the Palace of Versailles). The Louvre has been the actual home of various French royal families, including Napoleon III—whose lavish, gold-painted living quarters are now open for visitors to walk through! The Louvre’s centerpiece consists of multiple glistening glass pyramids, resembling the famous pyramids of Egypt (the French definitely have a penchant for mimicking the most renowned features of powerful civilizations of the past).

Paris - part 9

Our Lessons

We were so captivated by the beauty of the Louvre's architecture, that it almost took us until closing time to reach the museum's most famous piece: the Mona Lisa. As an art lover, the most famous painting in the world (one with an $800 USD million insurance policy) was well worth the anticipation. Unfortunately, I was not alone in this opinion; even during the pandemic times, there was an hour-long line of people waiting to get just a few seconds of time to stand in front of this fascinating painting. We learned so much history about this masterpiece: for instance, we had no idea that DaVinci did not actually finish it (rather, it was one of his apprentices after his death). Furthermore, the Mona Lisa has been the subject of various heists during its lifetime. For instance, it was once stolen by an Italian Louvre worker, who believed it rightfully belonged to his (and DaVinci's) homeland. It has been shot at, and it has had tomato sauce thrown at it, all in protest of the French. Now, there is a bulletproof, climate-controlled glass case around it.


It is said what makes Lisa’s smile so ambiguous was DaVinci’s “soft” method of painting: basically, he never sketched any outlines; he just ‘did it right’ on the first go… hence, depending on whether one's eyes are staring directly at her, or off to the side, one will detect differing subtleties of her expression.


Fun fact: there were times in history in which the value of the Mona Lisa would’ve been sufficient to completely wipe away France’s national debt… but apparently, French law states that items in the museum are actually "public property," and hence they cannot be sold!

Palace of Versailles - part 1

Our Lessons

One of the most opulent and famous places in the world, the Palace of Versailles requires no introduction. However, we do wish to jot down some of the particularly weird history we learned about this infamous home of French royalty:


While millions of paintings and photos have captured the visual beauty of Versailles, one thing that was never captured was… its smell. Apparently, while King Louis XIV had access to plumbing facilities, the vast majority of nobles living at the palace had only ‘chamber pots.’ The lack of toilets or hygienic areas to relieve the full bladders and bowels of thousands of courtiers meant that servants fell hopelessly behind in their job of keeping the chamber pots clean—to the point that courtiers occasionally elected to do their business elsewhere… including the palace hallways! As a result, it has been documented that Versailles literally smelled like a dirty latrine. No wonder the French perfume industry advanced so rapidly: to mask the smell of urine, members of high society adapted by dousing themselves in overpowering fragrances.

Versailles summers were stinky, and Versailles winters were cold. The palace was poorly insulated, which meant the king's loyal nobles were literally left freezing in their living quarters. Apparently, rooms were so spacious that even their large fireplaces didn’t heat them sufficiently at all. As the wife of the Duke of Orleans famously wrote, "It is so cold here that at the king's table, wine as well as water froze in the glasses!"


If this was not headache enough, we learned that King Louis XIV went to great lengths to cleverly transform his nobles into his personal servants. Louis XIV's preferred method of bestowing “royal favour” was inviting his officials to perform excruciatingly mundane tasks, like brushing his hair or holding a candle. Being invited to watch the King’s daily bathing and “going to bed” routines was considered a great honor. During dinners, courtiers were expected to stand and watch as the king finished his entire meal! Louis’ rationale: if his higher-ranking officials’ time was constantly filled with pointless rituals, then they wouldn’t have the privacy to plot his demise. The tactic worked through the lifetime of Louis XIV, who died at a ripe old age of 76 from natural causes. Sustaining this ostentatious lifestyle was less effective for eventual heir Louis XVI, whose poor governance led the nation down a path of worsening economic ruin... resulting in his eventual beheading in 1793 following the French Revolution.

Palace of Versailles - part 2

Our Lessons

Manchester - part 1

Our Lessons

Over our travels, we’ve received an outpouring of kindness from others, often because we simply asked politely. Nowhere did this seem more true than in Manchester, England: A restaurant let us in even though their “closed” sign was up. A bar at capacity gave us free “promotional” drinks after we asked if we could wait in the foyer for someone to leave. Best yet, our hotel receptionist upgraded us to two bigger connecting rooms, for free, simply because we asked. Sometimes we are told “no,” but in life, it never hurts to ask!


Manchester was a former industrial hub of the world. Beautifully refurbished factory buildings are interspersed throughout the city streets—reminiscent of an age in which steam- and fossil-fuel-powered machinery ushered in the promise of a new age of development. We went to the free Museum of Science History here, where we saw remnants of original inventions: for instance, the first programmable computer was made in Manchester in 1948. Before this, the Rolls Royce originated here. As Manchester had been a center for the production of cotton clothing, the first power loom was invented here. Perhaps even more crucially, Manchester helped to perfect and mass-produce the steamship, which allowed for longer, nonstop trips in record time. This led to the spread of British colonization across almost every continent, lending credence to the imperial phrase, “The sun never sets on the British empire.” Pro tip: If you want to conquer another civilization, use guns and superior technology (which you have ideally financed using the spoils of your previous conquests).

Manchester - part 2

Our Lessons

I have learned to keep my eyes out for 'unexplained' doormen. One evening in Manchester, I observed a man formally dressed in black, standing by the door of a "laundromat." My NYC-honed 'speakeasy sense' immediately kicked into gear: “It’s a bar!” I shouted. Indeed I was right; the Wash House is one of the most interesting bars we have ever been to. The doorman ushered us over to one of the washing machines, which he slid open for us, revealing a hidden hallway. Inside, the establishment contains multiple lounges and taprooms. Uniquely, the upper room features a "dirty laundry" chute, which is actually a spiral slide that takes riders down to another bar room below. It was here that we also tasted bourbon mixed with the “essence of chicken fat,” which was a surprisingly delicious elixir.

Nottingham - part 1

Our Lessons

Tourists often associate the town of Nottingham with the legend of Robin Hood… but what about the legend of Batman? As it turns out, the comic book character's infamous "Gotham City" was named after Nottinghamshire’s old village of "Gotham.” It was chosen because Gotham was depicted in medieval stories as being a village populated by the mad... and, the brilliant. The most frequently told story of Gotham is that its villagers mutually agreed to feign insanity—in order to avoid the King's decree to build a Royal Highway through their town. At the time, madness was believed to be contagious, so when the King saw the villagers behaving nonsensically, he quickly rerouted construction to avoid the village!


As a likely nod to this origin story, the 2012 Dark Knight Rises movie producers decided to use the nearby Wollaton Hall as Bruce Wayne’s manor. The Hall is a majestic gothic-style building in the center of the many rolling hills of Wollaton Park. The manor was technically closed at the time we jogged past; but with a quick scramble up a stone wall, we were able to stand next to the iconic entryway featured in the film.

Nottingham - part 2

Our Lessons

Every good castle needs a brewery. For Nottingham Castle, a pub known as Ye Olde Road to Jerusalem once served this role. Today, it remains a cavernous restaurant, built into the cliffside directly under the castle. Although no longer in use, patrons can still see the huge shaft in the ceiling of the main room, where kegs used to be lifted up into the fortified stronghold. Dating back to 1189, the brewery had reportedly doubled as an inn, and it became a common spot where the knights of the Third Crusade would rest on their way towards the English Channel (clearly, this was a relatively early stop along their journey towards the Middle East).

London - part 1

Our Lessons

Given the vastness of the British Empire, we were a bit surprised to see that Buckingham Palace is relatively tiny compared to France's royal Versailles Palace. It is also relatively “new”: Built in the early 1700s, Buckingham didn’t become the official residence of the monarchy in London until 1837. Before Buckingham, it was St. James Palace—which was utilized as a substitute after the Palace of Whitehall was destroyed in a fire. Regardless, for me, the most memorable part was our stroll through Buckingham's gardens: In a momentary lapse of situational awareness, I got ambushed by a flock of pigeons when I raised a handful of seeds in front of a less-enthusiastic green parakeet, who was ignoring my advances.

We had such fond memories of traveling around Cape Town with two fun Londoners, that we simply had to pursue them back to their hometown! Kwong and John did not disappoint: In London, they took us out for an evening of 'speakeasy' bar hopping. Memorable stops included Park Row (a Batman-themed restaurant) as well as Cahoots (a basement cocktail lounge that was built to look like a 1940s-themed Underground station).

As we explored London, we encountered several plaques and monuments reminding viewers that this millennia-old city almost got a complete makeover in 1666. In this year, the five-day-long Great Fire of London destroyed two-thirds of the city. In the aftermath, extensive proposals were made to rebuild the city based on a modernized grid system. Unfortunately, negotiations around the compensation and manpower which such extensive remodeling would entail, failed: calls to secure workmen and to remeasure plots of land were mostly ignored by London citizens, who were worried about day-to-day survival after the fire. In the end, much of the old, winding streets were simply cleared of debris and refurbished, and the rebuilt London remained essentially the same.

London - part 2

Our Lessons

In London, the classy tea experience we were looking for is called "afternoon tea,” not "high tea.” Olden-day definitions seem to vary, but "high tea" was more often used to describe a quick refueling after a hard day of work. Meanwhile, "afternoon tea" involved the leisurely nibbling of dainty foods, to hold one’s appetite over until dinner. Many hotels and fancy restaurants indeed advertise their "afternoon tea" parties here; however, finding one last-minute at a reasonable price was surprisingly challenging. After hours of searching, a bartender at a random pub was able to help us book a reservation at The Ivy, which turned out to be the perfect spot overlooking the Tower Bridge. This was probably the most reasonable price we have seen for this type of meal, at just 28 GBP per diner.

London - part 3

Our Lessons

London - part 4

Our Lessons

London Bridge has fallen down loads of times. We learned the nursery rhyme might refer to the specific time when the Vikings pulled the bridge down in 1014, which inspired a poem that translates to, “London Bridge is broken down.” Then again, London Bridge has had various partial collapses in preceding centuries as well (beginning after the Romans left the British to take care of their own infrastructure in the fifth century). More recently, the bridge also crumbled in 1281 (due to ice damage); in 1309; in 1425 and 1437; and once more in the seventeenth century during the Great Fire of London. Our background photos feature the more grandiose Tower Bridge, which is often mistaken for the lowly London Bridge.

London - part 5

Our Lessons

Unpainted concrete gets dirty-looking with age, but it’s still an imposing symbol of human engineering. Slightly off the beaten tourist path, we explored London’s Barbican Center. Built in 1982, this huge Brutalist monolith contains bridges and central lakes—definitely one of the most elaborate and well-maintained examples of this architectural style that we have seen. In addition to being the place of residence for over 2,000 people, it also has a beautiful Arts center and features an enormous greenhouse. Of note: London’s entire downtown seems to be a mixture of historic and newer buildings from various architectural eras. This contrasted quite dramatically with central Paris, where almost all buildings remain in the classical style, and the "downtown" is a separate area with all modern buildings.

Bangkok - part 1

Our Lessons

Crazy fact: Bangkok's full name is rooted in Pali and Sanskrit, and holds the Guinness World Record for the "longest place name": Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.


Bangkok also receives our personal award for the city that is both easy and cheap to get around. Given this, there was no excuse for us to miss seeing all the highlights once we were here: golden temples, sparkling skylines, colorful nightlife, and amazing food from all cultures. An example: for just a couple of USD, one of our favorite ways to explore the town was using open-air tuk-tuks, which are readily available on every street corner to get us moving at a moment’s notice. In addition, public transportation is incredibly efficient, clean, and well-air-conditioned. Underground and above-ground trains crisscross the city, and they run every few minutes.


Furthermore, riders seem super respectful, always waiting their turn to enter and exit the trains—even properly standing on the queue markers on the floor. Far different from our NYC subway experience (in which everybody is talking loudly or playing TikTok clips with the volume turned up), people on Bangkok trains speak to each other in respectful whispers and are rarely seen talking on their phones. Even more pleasant: we haven’t seen a single piece of trash in any of the stations (despite a remarkable deficit of trash bins). Signs discourage eating and drinking on transit, and indeed riders appear to take this seriously. The result: instead of grimy floors, cleanliness is clearly the norm—and one particularly memorable station was even adorned with beautiful red and gold decorations, topped off with royal red velvet ropes on bronze-gold pedestals directing passengers!

Bangkok - part 2

Our Lessons

Thailand is known as the “land of smiles”; and for us, Thai people were sincerely some of the most courteous people we’ve met. A polar opposite from our experience in Paris: here, everybody would proactively move out of our way on busy streets; in fact, not a single person bumped into us once in our 8 days here (perhaps people's post-COVID timidness exaggerated this pleasant experience for us?). Thai people also seem to have a habit of always sharing a friendly smile, and always bowing whenever saying or receiving a “thank-you.” Most people tried to communicate with us even if they couldn’t really speak English, and they would frequently offer to help us without the expectation of a tip or a returned favor (at one temple, nobody spoke English, so everybody in line teamed up to help us order drinks using body language!).


Perhaps one darker note about Thai hospitality: as we made our way through the busy streets of Bangkok, it was hard not to notice all of the young Thai females, walking hand-in-hand with uncomfortably older Western males. As a female, I always wonder if this is an emotional relationship or a ‘financial’ one.

Bangkok - part 3

Our Lessons

Although we stuck to a fairly strict budget while traveling the globe, we quickly realized that spending a little extra on an experience is worth every penny. For example, Lebua Sky Bar is ridiculously expensive; overpriced drinks exceed NYC standards, with the cheapest beer costing $14 USD—and a virgin drink for $28! However, the opportunity to ascend 800 feet in the sky; step out of a grand gold-domed hall with Roman columns; stroll down a regal stone staircase with only a clear-glass banister; and take our seats at a bar on a circular pedestal with a nearly unobstructed 360-degree view of the city skyline? Totally worth it. For the record, this is the bar featured in The Hangover Part II. Despite its fame, the bar staff remained extremely humble and friendly—we observed one server continuously being asked to take customers' photos, and every time, he smiled and happily snapped more than his fair share of shots.


Bangkok is a lively city, built on completely flat terrain, and its citizens have made great use of the space. At the street level, music can constantly be heard emanating from the countless open-air restaurants and cafes around every corner. Their rooftop bars are plentiful, and luckily for us, just about all of them are far cheaper than Lebua. The weather by day in April was scorching hot; however, at night, it was a perfect temperature to enjoy all these outdoor venues.

Bangkok - part 4

Our Lessons

We discovered that one of the best ways to survey Bangkok’s sparkling temples is at night, from the water. During a dinner cruise down the Chao Phraya River, we were mesmerized by the thousands of shiny tiles that compose each temple’s façade. The city lights reflected off each temple, causing them to “twinkle” brightly as our boat moved past them at speed. The cruise itself was a mixed experience: We initially ended up being seated below deck due to overbooking; however, with gentle insistence, the staff acquiesced to our requests to be seated in the space we had paid for on the upper deck. As an apologetic gesture, 2 hours later we found ourselves in the spotlight, receiving a surprise serenade of “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” in front of the entire audience in celebration of our “anniversary.” ♡

Bangkok - part 5

Our Lessons

A good rule of thumb: restaurants that cook their food in front of the store, for all passersby to see, probably have nothing bad to hide. This seemed to be a practice adopted by many local restaurants that we came across. One such place featured our all-time favorite beef boat noodle soup, which we enjoyed huddling at its tiny street-facing counter directly behind the chef. In another local eatery, a happy Eric discovered a savory duck egg noodle plate, which he contends was the best Chinese dry noodle dish he’s ever eaten.


We are not alone in praising Bangkok's food so highly. With a little help from Google, a Michelin-star-rated street vendor can be found in just about every area of town, and most of these prideful shops have kept their prices low, despite their fame. Pad Thai, not surprisingly, is amazing in Bangkok, as are the many colors of creamy chicken curry. Our most interesting new dessert favorite included mango sticky rice—literally, a sweet sliced mango, eaten with sticky rice doused in coconut sauce (so popular that even Dairy Queen in Thailand offers a mango sticky rice Blizzard shake).

Bangkok - part 6

Our Lessons

Bangkok’s water is said to be sterile (just some heavy metals); so street food consumption by foreigners may be less of a sanitary risk than in some other countries. With this in mind, we said, what better time to try fried scorpion? High in protein and apparently quite healthy, it tasted a bit like crispy bacon; although I struggled with the squishy middle. The worst part was the shards of black shell, which got stuck in our teeth for hours afterward.


From here we made our way to one of the most vibrant Chinatowns we have seen in any country. By day, we were able to walk the relatively empty sidewalks, where we observed menus selling unusual items like a $150 USD bowl of shark-fin soup, or a $400 box of bird's nest. A Michelin-star rated stall called “Pha Tong Go Savoey,” a multi-year winner, fries and sells light, flakey, cooked-to-order beignets from a burner right on the street: a pack of 6 sells for just $2 and comes with delicious Pandan-flavored dip! By night, Chinatown erupts into a street foodie’s paradise, but walking anywhere quickly becomes impossible due to the volume of people and shops. Each shop makes an unofficial claim of the sidewalk in front of it, filling every available space with plastic seats and tables. We were absorbed in the many lights, sounds, and smells as we followed the crowd single-file along the edges of the street as cars continued to pass.


Interestingly, just about every restaurant, even the classier ones, asked us to pay in cash. We are told that Thai people frequently under-report their earnings, to avoid excessive taxes.

Bangkok - part 7

Our Lessons

Bangkok proves that malls can be breathtaking green spaces, where one can come to appreciate art, architecture, delicious food, and (sometimes) go shopping. So many contenders exist for Bangkok's ‘most beautiful’ mall, but our final vote goes to IconSiam: the only mall we’ve had to take a boat to get to! Because the nearest metro station is across the river, IconSiam provides patrons with a free ferry ride. Gently-dripping indoor waterfalls, museums, parks, gyms, and a rooftop club were all impressive, but still not our favorite part: rather, IconSiam’s ground-level food court is what stood out the most. Like the ‘outdoors-made-indoors’ concept of the Venetian casino, this food court is designed to feel like you are at an outside floating market. It is complete with an indoor lake, and a series of very clean and organized food stands, meant to resemble street vendors packed closely together.

Interspersed between sparkling high-rises, we could not take our eyes off some of the most famous Buddhist temples in the world. Tall temple spires are ubiquitous along Bangkok's skyline, especially as one approaches the Chao Phraya River. Without a doubt, these are the most 'bedazzled' temples we have seen. Thai temple facades feature beautiful mosaic patterns created out of small reflective tiles, clustered together to form magnificent works of art. Their designs brought to mind the geometric mosaics common to Islamic architecture; however, Thai mosaics are more curvy and feature flame-like tips that point toward the sky. The spires themselves are large and often four-sided—almost like highly-reflective versions of pyramids of the ancient world (clearly in their own ways, it seems every major religion tends to build towers that point towards the heavens: in form of spires, minarets, steeples, and obelisks!).


In the scorching heat, Eric struggled to wear long pants—a requirement to enter any Buddhist temple here (the women's requirement of covering knees and shoulders likewise left me pressing my sweat-stained back against the cool tiles of the air-conditioned metro station at every opportunity!). Indeed, in this personal journey, we would confidently say that our April in Bangkok was the hottest weather we experienced! Nevertheless, the beauty and uniqueness of each temple motivated us to keep exploring. The following pages display some of our favorite Bangkok temple experiences.

Bangkok - part 8

Our Lessons

Bangkok - part 9

Our Lessons

Wat Saket, the “Golden Mountain” temple: Ascending this manmade hill rewards worshippers with some of the most beautiful panoramic views of the city. Here, our tour guide reminded us that there are two major types of Buddhism: Mahayana (practiced in my homeland, Vietnam) and Theravada (practiced here in Thailand). We learned that it is their Buddhist traditions that have led Thai people to adopt the habit of bowing to each other during respectful conversations. There are two types of bowing, however: to show respect to people, Thais tilt their heads down, but no lower than their chest. In contrast, to show respect for Buddhist symbols such as statues, Thais bow their heads lower—sometimes all the way down to the ground if they are kneeling.


As in most Thai temples, for a small donation, we were provided lotus flowers and incense to leave at the feet of the Buddha statue for a blessing.

The Royal Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha: Honestly, as we explored this large complex on one of the hottest days, one of our most cherished memories was the free water stations (thank you, Buddha). We wiped the sweat from our eyes as we took in one of the most ornately decorated “chapels” we have ever seen (we learned this technically was a “chapel” and not truly a “temple,” because monks do not live on the Royal Palace grounds). Inside a marvelously adorned hall with high ceilings sits the "Emerald Buddha" himself—who is actually made of polished green jasper (the term “emerald” is used to describe the color, not the type of stone). We found out the Emerald Buddha is seasonally-decorated; we saw him in the summer showing off lots of green skin; but in fall and winter, he is clothed with different golden garments. In the distant past, the Emerald Buddha was occasionally taken out and paraded through the streets to ‘relieve’ the country of various calamities (such as plague and cholera).

Bangkok - part 10

Our Lessons

Bangkok - part 11

Our Lessons

Wat Arun, the “Temple of the Dawn”: These five sky-piercing mosaic spires are some of the most awe-inspiring structures of the city. Each morning, rays from the rising sun descend down the top of this temple’s main spire—a sight that has served as an iconic image of Bangkok. The central prang, or spire, is decorated with seashells and bits of porcelain (many of these pieces had reportedly been recovered from the ballasts of boats). These spires symbolize Mount Meru, the sacred five-peaked mountain featured in both Buddhist and Hindu cosmology. This was one of the most striking temples to see at night as well, during our cruise along the river.

Bangkok - part 12

Our Lessons

Wat Sam Phram, the “Dragon Temple”: We ventured outside the city to behold a very unique structure: an 80-meter-high cylindrical tower, encircled by the scaly body of a giant snakelike dragon, which coils around the outside. The only way to the top is to step inside the belly of the beast itself, walking through the tail and continuing through the hollow ramp until emerging just below the head (signs along the way indicate this ascent is representative of one’s journey up to the Heavens). On the temple's top floor, we were welcomed by a “tree of life” statue, a rooftop Buddha, and 360-degree views of the surrounding suburbs. The heat was borderline unbearable: all worshippers were required to leave their sandals down below, but the roof was so scalding from the sun that even seasoned locals were doing little “hot feet” dances.


Interestingly, although this was one of the most memorable temples, its distance of 30 km outside of Bangkok resulted in us being the only foreign tourists there that day. Peering through a tear in the tarp placed to obscure views down the building's ‘Ponte City’-like central core, it seemed that all floors except the top were empty, unkept, and occupied only by pigeons. This temple, we learned, has been around since at least 1985, and locals online comment that it is showing its age. Perhaps a sad truth is that only temples that earn a steady revenue of tourist dollars can afford to stay well-maintained throughout.

Bangkok - part 13

Our Lessons

The “Reclining Buddha” at Wat Pho: Despite having seen countless Buddha statues in our lifetime, we were struck by the grandeur of this unusually massive Buddha. Lounging sideways, his horizontality allowed builders to make him an imposing 46 meters long (though just 15 meters tall). Even the Buddha's feet are 5 meters long, and they are exquisitely decorated in pearl illustrations, representing auspicious lakshanas (characteristics) of the Buddha and experiences that lead Buddha towards reaching enlightenment.

Bangkok - part 14

Our Lessons

At Wat Pho, we had the opportunity to observe the religious festivities on the eve of Songkran: the traditional Buddhist New Year that is celebrated in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. At one 'blessing station', we waited in line for a monk to bop each of us over the head with a straw brush dipped in rose and jasmine water—believed to purify the mind and wash away bad luck.

Bangkok - part 15

Our Lessons

We timed our trip to Thailand to coincide with the Songkran celebration, and the festivities did not disappoint. As tourists, it came naturally for us to follow the tradition of visiting local temples, making small offerings, and receiving blessings from the Buddhist monks. During Songkran, the Thai temples and shrines were made even more beautiful than usual, with the adornment of fresh flowers—especially marigolds, as they are gold in color and last long (Thailand goes all-out with the color gold). We had the opportunity to see one of Bangkok’s famous flower markets in full swing, and it was amazing to see how efficient, yet creative, the artisans were as they spooled flowers together onto strings, to create colorful artistic creations and floral rings.


We also followed locals by symbolically “washing” away our bad luck, by pouring water over the temples' many Buddhist statues... and by pouring water over each other...

Bangkok - part 16

Our Lessons

Indeed, it is for good reason that Songkran has become known around the world as the “water festival.” In modern times, Songkran has evolved into a cultural phenomenon that has been termed, “The Greatest Annual Water Fight in the World!” Although we intermittently observed locals playfully 'blessing' each other with cups of water around the city, nowhere has the practice become more embraced than at the famous Khao San Road. In this lively area with a mix of local and tourist eateries, participants come by the thousands to exchange ‘blessings’ with one another: with the help of super-soakers, water balloons, and large buckets! After our attempt to watch while enjoying chicken wings was interrupted by passers-by firing water pistols into our open-air restaurant, Eric purchased our own pair of super-soakers from a wandering street vendor, who was clearly making a lot of money on this day! We played in the streets until we were drenched from head to toe—and until the police arrived. Tragically, one of the most harmless opportunities for adults to regress to childhood fun was almost called off this year, due to the government's enforcement of COVID social-distancing rules (which at this point had been shown to be scientifically unfounded in an open-air setting). Thankfully, they did not succeed: as soon as the police patrol moved down the street, the DJs resumed their music, and streets quickly filled again with splashing water—with beer bottles in one hand and water guns in the other, it seemed that neither locals nor tourists took the prospect of arrest seriously, and laughter filled the air!


After a hard day of water-fighting, I decided we could not leave Bangkok without experiencing an authentic Thai massage. We found a quality hot-oil couple's massage at a bargain price by Western standards ($38 USD for two full hours). Eric immediately questioned my judgment when presented with a teeny-tiny piece of thin underwear to put on. He endured despite electing to keep his boxers on—and I ended up having an amazingly relaxing massage experience (Eric, meanwhile, said everything hurt afterward!).

Chiang Mai - part 1

Our Lessons

Chiang Mai felt like a very small town after spending a week in Bangkok; however, a common element throughout Thailand was its friendly people, who seemed consistently eager to offer help without expecting anything in return.


Coming off a very peaceful overnight train ride to northern Thailand, we again noticed how well-kept the transportation system is here. In contrast with sleeper trains we have taken in Vietnam and North Africa, Thailand's trains were very clean, and comfortable, and the ride was not bumpy. As we left the station, we were confronted by an abundance of red pickup trucks, which had been modified with roofs and bench seating. Featuring stronger engines than Bangkok's three-wheeled tuk-tuks, these were capable of navigating Chiang Mai's hillier terrain. The only downside to these cheap rides: With minimal views out of their low windows, the 30-minute back-seat trip up the windy, twisty road towards the hillside temple of Doi Sudthep was enough to make our stomachs do somersaults!

Chiang Mai - part 2

Our Lessons

As of April 2022, it seems like post-pandemic Bangkok has returned to a bustling city full of tourists. Unfortunately in northern Thailand, this was not the case. Walking the moat-encircled old town of Chiang Mai, it seemed that life was continuing to stand still: Most restaurants remained closed; many permanently, we fear.


One happy exception was Sunday night. At this time, the central streets of Chiang Mai were closed to cars, and hundreds of street vendors set up stands as part of the weekly Night Market. Locals were eager to sell food and goods to us at prices even lower than in Bangkok. At that time, quality T-shirts cost an average of $3 USD, and an entire two-person meal on the street cost us just $7.

Chiang Mai - part 3

Our Lessons

Chalermprakiat, the remote "Temple in the Sky," was a truly magical experience for us. Arriving at the base of the mountain after a 3-hour drive along jungle roads, we were horrified to find a shut gate, with a big "CLOSED" sign in front of it! A passing local informed us that the night prior, a monk had come down with COVID, so the temple had been forced to shut down. Seeing the disappointment on our faces, the local proposed that there would be no security, and we could walk up anyway... if we were up for a challenge. The problem: normally, paying the entry fee at the gate would include a ride in a 4x4 truck, which brings travelers the first 3 km up the steep mountain road. Since the temple was closed, there was no truck! Having made it this far, we resolved to hike the whole thing on foot. With sweltering heat and humidity, it was a grueling gauntlet. Our calves burned after walking the 3 km of smooth, angled-concrete road. At the end of this, we then faced an 800-meter vertical ascent up stairs, before finally reaching the temple.


As we took our final steps up to the summit, however, our fatigue melted away. Before us stood the silhouettes of a completely empty temple, intermittently shrouded in the clouds. This was, without a doubt, one of the most mystical experiences of our travels. The areas of worship were all open and empty, with breathtaking views of more than a dozen spires placed along the mountain peaks. Countless wind chimes danced in the breeze, setting a truly ethereal mood. I respectfully sounded a gong, which sent echoing vibrations across the ridge and celestial chills up our spines.


This was an emotional moment, as I felt like it reflected our journey of life: Our daily challenges may be difficult, and sometimes we wish to give up along the way; but if we persevere towards our goals, the reward is priceless. For Eric, having done this hike on Easter Sunday, it was a humbling reminder that there is beauty and connectedness to be found in any faith that seeks to promote peace; to promote reverence for the energies that give us life and bring us together, as One World.

Chiang Mai - part 4

Our Lessons

Do go chasing waterfalls? Outside Chiang Mai, we encountered a truly unique experience: a so-called "Sticky Waterfall." Here, wearing sandals alone, we were able to ascend straight up 50-degree angles with no hands, despite water rushing straight down at us! How is this possible? The waterfall itself looks like a washing machine that overflowed: except instead of soap, the ground is actually coated with high-traction limestone. This is a form of "tufa" terrace similar to the one we encountered in Croatia's Plitvice National Park. The water here bubbles up from a natural spring, and it has such high levels of dissolved minerals that it precipitates as it flows over the rocks and tree roots. Unlike Plitvice, however, here we were allowed to touch everything! Though it was a delight to be able to experience this science with our own two feet, we do hope that an increase in tourism does not eventually lead to the degradation of the calcified stone. Luckily, if this does occur, the continuous flow from the natural spring may be sufficient to eventually renew and recalcify the area (if we humans can manage to leave it alone for a while).

Riding down the Mae Taeng River in a raft made of bamboo sticks sounded like it would be a relaxing experience—but then, the elephants came! Our private tour departed late, right before 4:00 PM: the same time that local workers begin loosely guiding their elephants back across the river, to their pens for the evening. We pointed enthusiastically as one elephant waded past us through the water. As the river curved, we encountered two more. The next thing we knew, our raft was headed straight towards a large herd! As our raft passed right in front of them, we watched the baby elephants splash and play around their mothers, who looked more solemn as they dragged metal chains attached to their feet.


This was such a beautiful moment for us, but it hurts our hearts to see these gentle giants unable to roam free. We learned that each day, the owners of these Indian elephants guide them to various elephant "sanctuaries" along the river, where tourists can pay to ride them or assist in feeding and cleaning them. At night, they are taken to pens for safety, where some need to be chained, we are told. Of note, Thailand introduced its first animal welfare law in 2014. In 2018, the law was expanded to require that all animals be named and registered, to reduce undocumented neglect. Our tour guide believes this is a step in the right direction.

Chiang Mai - part 5

Our Lessons

Chiang Mai - part 6

Our Lessons

"Now that we know tigers are more active in the evening, it's clear to me that Phil, Stu, and Alan should have returned Mike Tyson's tiger earlier in the day!" An instinctive reference to The Hangover was Eric's first remark as we departed from "Tiger Kingdom"—and in fairness, it seems reasonably insightful.


Satisfied with the close encounter we just had with the elephants, Eric questioned my insistence on meeting tigers face-to-face... but it was our last day in Chiang Mai, and it seemed just too unique an opportunity to pass up! We almost arrived too late: right at closing time. Luckily, after leaving her desk for a moment, the Tiger Kingdom receptionist returned to inform us, "The tigers are waiting to feed now, but I just radioed our staff and they said our tiger brothers, Bank and Buyan, are still calm enough for you to see. Would you like to meet them?" I agreed, avoiding Eric's stare as he paid the entry fee.


Three trainers quickly greeted us, then rushed us into a large caged area with grass and a small pool. They locked one cage door and opened another, and immediately Bank and Buyan emerged. These two magnificent beasts were certainly active—pacing around us constantly, but not showing any signs of aggression. Before we knew it, the trainers had directed the tigers to sit... and then, for us to sit next to them! They encouraged Eric to give them firm pats on their backs for reassurance (“Make sure you pat them firmly; don't pet them softly like a baby cat!”). The entire experience lasted less than five minutes, but honestly, getting so up close and personal with these tigers, even in a controlled environment, felt more intimidating for us than meeting gorillas in the wild!


How are the animals treated in this so-called "sanctuary"? We are not sure. Online reviews note concerns for "cruelty," as the trainers do carry bamboo sticks. When asked, one of the trainers admitted to us that they sometimes give light taps to redirect the tigers, but we did not see sticks being used even during this more "active" period of the day. On the positive side, each day the tigers reportedly get some opportunity to leave their cages to spend free time in a larger, fenced area. We are told they are well-fed on diets of chicken and pork, and starvation apparently is not used as a discipline tactic (as in some other sites). We learned these tigers used to be used for breeding and selling; now that selling is illegal in Thailand, they are simply taking care of the tigers for tourism purposes, and only breeding them or buying new tigers occasionally, to maintain their business. We would certainly much prefer to see them in the wild, where animals belong; but we understand the reality that these semi-habituated tigers could never survive safely if released.

Chiang Rai - part 1

Our Lessons

City light posts that are decked out in gold, and a clock tower that does a dancing LED light show on an hourly basis are two instantly notable highlights of this small town that thrives on tourism. Sadly, however, as of April 2022, the streets were even more empty here than in Chiang Mai. So many of the cute little shops that line Chiang Rai’s streets remained closed indefinitely, and the ones that were operating mostly closed super-early due to a lack of customers. In the evening, as we entered an empty square, a singer with superb English stood alone on a large stage, directing his tranquil serenades towards the two of us (and in a touching moment almost too unusual for coincidence, he began singing, "Can't Help Falling in Love"—marking the second time we shared a private dance to this song in Thailand).


As is often the case, larger franchise businesses had better luck weathering the COVID-19 storm. This led us to discover a well-known dessert shop, Swensen’s—featuring our soon-to-be new favorite “mango-pandan sticky-rice” dish (complete with mango-flavored ice cream)! In an odd bit of history, Swensen's chain of ice cream parlors first opened in the U.S. after World War II, but it has largely migrated to Asia, where it continues to gain popularity. Meanwhile, almost all Swensen’s shops all over the US have gradually closed (including the NYC branch where Seinfeld’s Elaine bought ice cream for George Costanza, who was recovering in the hospital from a tonsillectomy).

Chiang Rai - part 2

Our Lessons

When technology fails us: Eric prides himself on having “not a scratch” or ever dropping his phone, which he has always kept without a protective case. As such, he found himself asking "Why me?!" when his phone permanently blacked out and shut down without warning. Worse yet, a licensed Samsung store refused to try to fix it, because apparently, their parts were not compatible with his American phone.


Just as all hope seemed lost, we stumbled upon a tiny, hole-in-the-wall repair shop on a street corner in Chiang Rai. Without hesitation, the technician used his laboratory-grade microscope and collection of tiny instruments to gently dismantle Eric's entire phone in minutes. Per his instructions, we returned in less than an hour—and joyfully found the phone had been brought back to life! Using surgical tweezers, the tech held a tiny integrated circuit in front of our faces: a malfunctioned part of the charging system, he explained. Total cost of repair: just $40 USD. Thanks to this man, we were able to back up all of our files… prior to the phone’s eventual death a few weeks later (he warned us this could happen due to compatibility issues)!

Chiang Rai - part 3

Our Lessons

The plight of the “Long-neck” people: In Chiang Rai, those headline NatGeo photos from decades ago came alive for us, and the reality was sobering. Here, we were reminded that the women who add rings to "stretch" their necks are actually a group of Burmese refugees. Fleeing war and persecution by Burma's military government, many of the "Long-neck Kayan" people have relocated to Thailand, where they have remained for over 30 years. We had the privilege of visiting one of the Kayan groups during our stay here.


"Long-neck tourism," we would learn, has been a sensitive subject over the years. As large groups of Kayan crossed over from Burma, the Thai government decided to give them an opportunity to stay safely in Thai refugee settlement areas indefinitely, but with a huge catch: The Kayan people would be given no financial support, and they had to live off the land. Meanwhile, Thai (and later Burmese) government tour agencies began including photographs of their unique neck adornments—to encourage tourists to go see their villages, but also to increase revenue to the surrounding area. As years passed, words like "human zoo" started to circulate amongst internet forums, and many tourists started boycotting visits to Kayan villages. Unfortunately, it sounds like this only worsened the situation for the Kayan, since by that time tourism had become their primary source of revenue.


In a positive turn, Thailand's government has since started allowing the Kayan to settle and seek employment in other parts of the country. We were told the village has now been given access to affordable healthcare, free COVID-19 vaccines, and free elementary school.

Chiang Rai - part 4

Our Lessons

In a post-COVID village completely devoid of tourists, we had a unique experience visiting the long-neck settlement outside Chiang Rai, by ourselves. After paying an “entry fee” at an outpost, we proceeded alone on an early-morning walk through a completely empty mud road, reaching a series of stilted homes in varying states of disrepair. Cheerful faces emerged, smiling at us from their porches. Almost every teenage girl and woman we saw had gold-colored rings covering their necks, arms, and ankles. Their necks were, indeed, unquestionably, very long appearing! We had not been provided a guide, but luckily, one person spoke enough English to share her story with us with the help of Google Translate. She was kind enough to let us look at her rings, and she had a 'sample' set of rings for ready me, which had been welded and cut vertically into two adjoining pieces. Indeed, this medium-sized sample was heavy, perhaps 10 pounds, and we were told that older women could easily wear rings that were double this weight. To our surprise, we observed that all the women were able to turn their necks freely while wearing the rings: which demonstrates that these rings produce the appearance of an “elongated” neck by putting constant weight down on the clavicles, rather than by forcibly pushing the neck up. The women do indeed sleep with the rings, which they consider comfortable to wear at all times after a while. All of this, they attest, is done by choice! One teenage girl said to us that she was not pushed by her parents to wear the rings; in fact, a few of her friends chose not to wear them, and that was considered okay. To this day, however, most women living in this culture do decide to wear the rings, out of pride for their tradition. Because it is the men in Kayan society who have typically done the most physically demanding work in the fields, wearing neck rings has apparently not impeded the women's way of life as homemakers, knitters, and creators of handcrafts.


As medical providers, we could not help but wonder what effect these heavy rings have on the human body over time. Unfortunately, it would seem that the results are not ideal. While not affecting neck movement, the continuous weight of the rings on the clavicle distorts them downwards, pushing into the chest cavity. A new 2019 study of 28 Kayan villagers demonstrated that coil-wearing women had a significant decrease in lung capacity and cerebral blood flow, compared to age-matched Kayan women without neck coils living in the same village. Some of the coil-wearing women were even found to have compression fractures of the upper back! The act of discouraging a long-prided cultural tradition is difficult, however; health education and programs to encourage safe physical activity in this population would be beneficial… but telling the Kayan to stop using their rings altogether might be even harder than convincing southern Americans to swear off barbecue!

Chiang Rai - part 5

Our Lessons

Wat Rong Khun, aka Chiang Rai's “White Temple,” is actually a privately owned art exhibit, created in the style of a Buddhist temple. When the local government was unable to sufficiently fund the repair of an old temple on its current site, it instead permitted artist Chalermchai Kositpipat to use his money (around $30 million USD!) to convert it into his own artistic masterpiece. It is said that Kositpipat considers the temple to be an offering to Buddha, one which will give him immortal life. His work is ongoing and is not expected to be completed until 2070. Nevertheless, what he has built so far is certainly impressive, and unnerving: Entering across a bridge, we are flanked on both sides by a sea of skulls and arms reaching upwards. This reportedly represents our moving past of the gates of “hell,” and towards the “heavens,” which is symbolized by the main building. The main temple is an all-white structure, except for small fragments of mirrored glass embedded in the exterior. Inside, the decor switches from white to fiery and bewildering: the walls are covered with murals meant to depict the “wickedness” of mankind—including swirling orange flames, nuclear mushroom clouds and demon faces... but also Western icons such as Freddy Krueger, a T-800 Terminator, Neo from The Matrix, and... Michael Jackson? Images of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center are surrounded by oil pumps, emphasizing the destructive impact that humans have had on the Earth. The presence of Harry Potter, Superman, Hello Kitty, Kung-fu Panda, and Sailor Moon adds to the confusion—are these symbols of ‘good,’ or ‘evil’?

Later in the year, we found our way to Thailand's southwest coast to spend some time in Phuket, a hub for anyone seeking to explore the breathtaking seascape and small islands of the Andaman Sea. This area is surrounded by clear, turquoise-blue water, but it is most known for its multitude of tiny islands containing massive limestone mountains. These striking geological features are similar to what we have previously observed in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. Sheer vertical cliffs surrounded us as our tour boat cruised towards the area’s most noteworthy lagoons.


These formations originated due to the fracturing of solid planes of limestone, which occurred gradually with the movement of tectonic plates. Even before we humans began creating air pollution, rainwater naturally mixes with CO2 in the air, to form carbonic acid. This ever-so-slightly acidic rain eroded through cracks in the limestone over time. Through this process, small fissures began to expand—eventually hollowing out into large caves in some places… and completely separating stacks of rock in other places, forming small vertical islands and coves. In more modern times, ocean tides have further eroded the base of these formations. The result is striking, and we can see why people come from around the world to see it!

Phuket - part 1

Our Lessons

Phuket - part 2

Our Lessons

Our boat trip to the Phi Phi islands just east of Phuket was a mixture of gorgeous landscapes… and uncomfortable transportation. By the post-pandemic summer of 2022, tourists were back in larger numbers; however, it is clear that cash-strapped tourism agencies were still working to lower expenses by packing more people into fewer boats. Tour agents and the pamphlets they provided set unrealistic expectations about many aspects of their offered experiences. Glass-bottom canoes were notably absent at the last minute from both tours that we took. On closer inspection, the front page of our brochure, which depicted a tour boat parked right up next to James Bond Island, was clearly Photoshopped (boats are not allowed anywhere near this location!).

Phuket - part 3

Our Lessons

On the positive side, our tour guide and staff, once aboard the boats, provided service beyond our expectations. Consistent with the friendly culture that we encountered in the rest of Thailand, we received nothing but kindness here. Guides were attentive, and fun, and provided us with everything within their ability.

Phuket - part 4

Our Lessons

Every coral reef has something amazing and unique about it. Honestly, the reefs we were taken to in Phi Phi Don island were underwhelming compared to the ones we had experienced in the Philippines, the Great Barrier Reef, and Fiji (Vol. 4). Nonetheless, truly remarkable highlights here included a high concentration of embedded sea clams, whose iridescent mantles glistened in the sun. We also had an up-close encounter with a banded sea krait. It turns out these black-and-white striped snakes are venomous, but thankfully, they are also timid and rarely bite humans. Watching one 'wriggle-swim' up from the depths to take a breath of air was fascinating. Apparently, sea kraits spend half of their time on land and half underwater. They can hold their breaths for up to 2 hours!

Phuket - part 5

Our Lessons

One observation we could not help but make here: there were so many tourists from India visiting Phuket! This was objectively accurate; news headlines from June 2022 indicated that Indians were making up over 50% of Phuket tourists; and in the wake of COVID, they were leading the way to Phuket's economic recovery. A few Indians on our tour revealed to us that they had come here following a huge 3,000-person work conference in Bangkok. Flights to the conference itself, as well as all food and 5-star Bangkok hotel accommodations, were fully paid for by their Indian company. Why? Depending on whom we asked, an equivalent hotel in Mumbai would cost between 2 to 10 times more. Therefore, it is more cost-effective for the corporation to literally fly their entire team outside their own country for a meeting. What an interesting (and mutually beneficial?) way for a country with a stronger currency (India) to bolster the tourist economy of a country with a proportionately weaker currency (Thailand).

Phnom Penh - part 1

Our Lessons

Cambodia: beautiful, unique, and eye-opening; with remnants of unimaginable tragedy just one generation ago. In school, we learned very little about this country and its capital city of Phnom Penh. Setting foot here left us with many emotionally provocative thoughts and a huge appreciation for the strength and determination of this nation and its people. After decades of war and a genocidal dictatorship, the Cambodians we spoke with lament that their government is still corrupt; however, at least now more opportunities for success are becoming available to them.


Phnom Penh is developing gradually into a modern city. It is a very comfortable and cost-effective place to visit as an outside tourist. Situated at the intersection of four rivers, its climate and landscape allow for an active outdoor scene, with tons of great waterfront views and modern parks. Uniquely, the city and its entire riverfront promenade are elevated about 30 feet above the main river, which borders with a stepped concrete slope that stretches the length of the city. This elevated promenade protects the city from flooding that would otherwise result from dramatic seasonal water-level fluctuations—and it is perfect for joggers and relaxing locals to enjoy the cool breeze off the water. At night, palm trees illuminate the promenade with multi-colored pastel lights.


One of the best ways to view Phnom Penh’s modern skyline is to hop on one of many local cruise boats at sunset. These sunset cruises are surprisingly affordable, even by Cambodian standards, as we were told that prices were reduced to attract more local tourists to the city. We were pleased to even see a group of Buddhist monks on our boat, enjoying a moment of relaxation.

Because the U.S. dollar is so strong in Cambodia, it was easy for us to splurge on the finer things in Phnom Penh without breaking our budget. We situated ourselves in a luxury hotel, with a balcony overlooking the river. Rooftop bars are common and provide stunning views of the city’s many highrises, golden-colored palaces, and its mixture of modern and old buildings. Malls are modern and good for cheap shopping, but they are not as glamorous as Bangkok’s. Nevertheless, we were enthused to again find our new favorite dessert restaurant (Swenson’s!), and we delighted in the unique taste of Cambodia’s “Golden Egg Crunch” KFC chicken—a perfectly crispy mix of flavor and spice (seriously… there are so many amazing KFC recipes that are missing from the U.S. chain!).

Phnom Penh - part 2

Our Lessons

Phnom Penh - part 3

Our Lessons

Human stampedes are socially complex. A small obelisk monument sits outside a footbridge leading to Phnom Penh’s Diamond Island, memorializing the ‘The Koh Pich Stampede’ of 2010. On Nov 22 of that year, crowds of 4 million people gathered on this island for a waterside festival. A bottleneck of festival goers built up on the bridge—moving forward with such crushing force that 347 people were slowly pushed under, and trampled to death (the official death figure is still questioned and actually suspected to be much higher).


How do human stampedes happen, we asked? Lack of awareness and a rising sense of urgency leads each individual to try to push their way forward just a bit harder—an innocent move in isolation, but once the mid-section of the crowd reaches a narrow “choke point,” like a bridge, the small forces from behind compound into a massive wave, which pushes some people to the ground while driving others forward and on top (by no choice of their own!). Adding to the problem in this case was the police’s initial response: allegedly, firing water cannons at the crowd to try to dissuade them. Soon, rumors reportedly circulated among the crowd that the bridge was about to give way: “The bridge was shaky and when it shook, people thought it was going to break so they tried to get away faster,” a survivor explained.


A quick internet search about the event brought us to an assessment by Crowd Management Strategies, a safety consulting service for concerts, festivals, and other large public events: “Had they had an effective communication system, authorities may have been able to mitigate the rumors, such as the alleged claim that the bridge was collapsing,” a representative said. Ordering people in crowds simply to obey unexplained orders does not always work effectively; good communication and calming reassurance are far better techniques… and better yet would be anticipating and avoiding the situation in the first place. In Phnom Penh’s case, two new, larger bridges have been built on the island to ease anticipated bottlenecks.

Phnom Penh - part 4

Our Lessons

Inspired by Paris, made (by) China: Diamond Island sits on the eastern edge of Phnom Penh, just a quick jog across the rebuilt Koh Pitch footbridge; yet, it feels like a world away. A Chinese construction company recently completed a huge project here: a residential complex built in the French Neoclassical design, complete with a fairly large replica of the Arc du Triomphe! Nearby, one of our favorite floating bars can be found, sitting gracefully atop the lotus fields at the river’s edge.


Getting back to our hotel in the main part of the city is easy, as tuk-tuks are everywhere, cheap, and convenient (just $1-2 USD to get basically anywhere in town). Sadly, at the time we were in Phnom Penh, there were far too many tuk-tuk drivers and far too few tourists. As a result, tuk-tuks would frequently drive around and try just a bit too hard to solicit us for a ride. If we did accept a ride, most drivers would reflexively start telling us all about a next-day tuk-tuk tour that they could provide us. People here were clearly trying hard to find work; they expressed gratitude when they were able to offer us a service, and any additional tip seemed like icing on the cake for them.

Phnom Penh - part 5

Our Lessons

Gambling here is illegal; yet, that does not stop massive casinos from being built. Oddly, not far from our hotel downtown, two adjacent city blocks are dedicated to Nagaworld 1 and Nagaworld 2 Casinos. In fact, there are 10 casinos in Phnom Penh alone.


The story goes that before 2009, gambling used to be legal for everyone in Cambodia. At that time, however, an increase in gambling-related violence by locals led the government to declare gambling illegal, but only for Cambodian citizens. Because of the need for international revenue, the government saw no choice but to keep the casinos open and unrestricted for international citizens! Ironically as in Vietnam, we are told there is plenty of informal/illegal gambling in Cambodia outside of casinos; in fact, unfortunately, there is a notion here that men who won't gamble are "not masculine.”

Phnom Penh - part 6

Our Lessons

“When you dig up the grass, you must remove even the roots.” ~Adage used by Khmer Rouge officers


The legacy of the Khmer Rouge was unknown history to us. Now, it is one we will never forget. We were shocked to realize how little we had been taught about this brutal Cambodian regime and its genocide of over 2 million souls, which took place just before our own lifetimes. Walking through still-bloodstained detention centers and stepping over half-buried bones and teeth in Phnom Penh’s “killing fields” left an incredible emotional toll—and a horrific realization that just 30 years after the Holocaust, history had already repeated itself on a near-equally massive scale. It seems impossible to summarize the history lesson we received on our tour; but for our own memory, we will try. The narrative below is a mix of historical facts and anecdotal details, as presented by our tour guide:


In 1953, France relinquished its sovereignty over Cambodia, giving it a promising start as an independent nation under the leadership of King Sihanouk of the Cambodian royal family. Some prosperous years followed, during which the King modernized the country and joined the United Nations.


Then, America invaded Vietnam. Despite previously declaring Cambodia a "neutral" state, we are told the King made a decision to seize an opportunity: The North Vietnamese proposed that if their troops and weapons could secretly pass through Cambodian territory, Vietnam would later gift his country a piece of its land after winning the war. The King agreed, but the Americans eventually discovered that Cambodia was helping the North Vietnamese. As a result, it is speculated that America helped to organize a coup, which toppled the monarchy and replaced the King with a pro-American military dictator.


In the wake of these events, a pro-communist movement known as the Khmer Rouge gained popularity. The name Khmer references the great ancient civilization that constructed Angkor Wat, and Rouge is French for “red” and a symbol of communism. The Khmer Rouge organized a resistance, receiving funding and weapons from communist China. As the Khmer Rouge grew in strength, the pro-American dictatorship became vulnerable: political pressure back home forced the United States, which was losing the war in Vietnam, to withdraw its military from Southeast Asia.

Phnom Penh - part 7

Our Lessons

Enter Pol Pot, the previously little-known leader of the Khmer Rouge. As U.S. forces withdrew from Vietnam and Cambodia, Pol Pot took advantage of this moment of weakness to deploy his resistance army, which successfully ousted the military dictator and took control of Cambodia’s government in Phnom Penh. Pol Pot exploited national loyalty to the Cambodian monarchy, proclaiming widely that he was fighting to restore King Sihanouk, who had escaped in exile to China during the dictatorship.


In reality, Pol Pot had no intention of restoring the Cambodian monarchy. History would reveal that Pol Pot’s worldviews had been shaped by his proclaimed admiration for Karl Marx's Das Kapital... and his secret admiration for Adolf Hitler's Mein Kamp. Pol Pot believed his country’s present tribulations were secondary to a loss of age-old values, brought on by tyrannical Western influence and culture. His true vision: to convert Cambodia back to an “agrarian” state, in which all ‘good’ people under his rule would live and work in rural settings, with equality, minimal physical possessions, and freedom from all foreign influences.


Fabricating a lie that the retreating Americans were coming to bomb Phnom Penh and other Cambodian cities, Khmer Rouge leadership convinced their urban populations to flee immediately into the countryside. Pol Pot advised evacuating citizens to bring “only three days’ worth of supplies” with them, implying a prompt return. Instead, Pol Pot’s regime assumed total control over the capital city and blockaded citizens from returning. People were forcibly redistributed to designated lands across the countryside.


While Pol Pot claimed that all of his actions were for the ‘greater good,’ over the next two years, it became quickly apparent that he was paranoid, ruthless, and deaf to his people’s cries for sustainable living conditions. Pol Pot became known for ‘eliminating’ anyone who opposed him—first on a personal basis; then by creating a massive network of detention centers all across the country. His foot soldiers rounded up anyone who refused to work; anyone who spoke badly about the regime; anyone who was identified as “too educated”; and anyone who opposed the communist mantra of atheism. Receiving praise for efficiency and brutality, Pol Pot’s officers began to perform “sham” interrogations, torturing and executing any person whom they claimed was a potential “threat to the regime.” Pol Pot realized that the young were the most easily indoctrinated, so he began recruiting teenagers into key leadership positions. Soon, everyone over 13 years old was required to serve in the army. All members of society were mandated to do physical labor, even young children.

Phnom Penh - part 8

Our Lessons

Over time, there were so many executions that detention centers had run out of space to bury the bodies. At this point, Pol Pot’s officers started authorizing busloads of inmates to be taken to marshy jungle lands, where mass executions were performed in seclusion—victims’ screams drowned out by loud patriotic music being blasted from the outposts’ speaker towers. Those who were not detained were forced to work excruciatingly long hours in the fields, on minimal rations. We are told that despite producing three times the amount of typical annual rice yield, Cambodian workers were dying of starvation because all the rice was being sold to China for weapons (stealing food, of course, was also an executable offense).


Over just four years, the population of Cambodia decreased from 7 million down to 4 million; at least 2 million of these were confirmed to have died. To address this problem, single men and women were paired up randomly, given ‘shotgun weddings,’ and ordered to have babies to repopulate Cambodia. But it was too late.


In an act of hubris, Pol Pot attempted to invade the southern Mekong Delta of Vietnam, to reclaim land that had been promised to the Cambodian King for helping their troops during the Vietnam-U.S. war. However, the depleted Cambodian army was no match for the Vietnamese fighters, who quickly gained the upper hand. Fearing execution for failure, some of the Khmer Rouge generals actively surrendered themselves to the Vietnamese. They revealed the horrors of what was occurring in Cambodia under Pol Pot and reportedly pleaded for help to prevent further genocide. The Vietnamese army supported the defected Khmer Rouge Generals in a full-scale counteroffensive, which quickly swept across Cambodia, recapturing Phnom Penh and liberating them from Pol Pot. This is the one time in history that Vietnam established sovereignty over another nation, as a protectorate.


The mass killings were over, but Pol Pot and the remaining Khmer Rouge leaders escaped into the jungles of western Cambodia, where they would remain a guerrilla army that terrorized the country. Over the next two decades, they inflicted massive destruction on Cambodia's infrastructure, until gradually their numbers dissipated. Cambodia remained a protectorate of Vietnam until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, at which point an economically weakened Vietnam restored Cambodia’s independence.


One of the former Khmer Rouge generals who fought alongside the Vietnamese liberators would eventually secure lasting power. This general has remained in power since that time, by holding dubious elections for over 30 years.


In the absence of war, there has been some economic and social progress in Cambodia. For instance, we are told that grades 1-12 were recently made compulsory for all children, following a clever choice by the E.U. to withhold economic assistance until the Cambodian government agreed to universal education. Access to other basic needs remains limited, however. For instance, our tour guide commented that he and others often go all the way to Vietnam for medical care because it is “so much better” than that of Cambodia (Vietnam's medical care is not known to be good!).

Phnom Penh - part 9

Our Lessons

I’ve never met a genocide survivor before. In front of the S-21 Museum, which formerly served as a Khmer Rouge torture chamber, I was overcome with emotion as I gazed into the eyes of Mr. Chan Phal, the son of murdered parents, who was one of only 4 children at the prison who escaped execution. The gut-wrenching feeling I had, having just learned the unimaginable life this 52-year-old man has endured, caused a downpour of tears from my face, and an instant reflex to grab hold of him tightly—as if he were still that helpless young boy, whose life was hanging by a thread. He told us the story of the moment he saw his mother being pulled away by the Khmer Rouge soldiers, without realizing it would be the last time he would ever see her. In the moments that followed, his instinct to convince 3 other children to stay hidden with him under a pile of dirty clothes would save their lives, and make him the hero of his own story.


Just 50 feet away, an older man, Mr. Chum Mey, also sat, waiting to share his survival story as well. A rare adult inmate who had been kept alive due to his exceptional skills as a mechanic, he survived a final Khmer Rouge sweep to execute all remaining prisoners—one which was interrupted by the approaching Vietnamese army. He showed us his fingers and toenails, which had been injured by torture. He described the moments his earlobes were attached to electrical probes, sending a loud shock that left him deaf in his left ear.


Both of these men and other survivors later served as witnesses to the War Crimes Tribunal which resulted in one of the few successful prosecutions of a high-ranking Khmer Rouge commander. In spite of this, the loss of their entire families, and many lifetimes’ worth of trauma, we were appalled to learn that the Cambodian government has provided little to no financial support for them, or any of the surviving victims. In truth, these men are present at their former prison camp today in order to sell their autobiographies. This is the only compensation it seems they will ever receive for the atrocities they have faced.


The very fact that these men, who have suffered and given back so much, have no better option but simply to sit and wait for a tourist to pass by to make a few dollars, is beyond heartbreaking. They are living history books; heroes not only to themselves but to their country; reminding us that a nation will only survive if we can put humanity first.

Phnom Penh - part 10

Our Lessons

As our spirit-crushing tour ended, we tried shifting our attention to a more palatable topic: Cambodia’s extensive menu of creepy-crawly insects. Yes, people here are accustomed to eating bugs—possibly more than any other Asian country. While walking the streets of Phnom Penh, it was not uncommon to see an array of worms, crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, water bugs, tarantulas, and more being sold by local vendors on street corners. At a fine restaurant, we enjoyed sprinkling red ants atop stir-fried beef and vegetables, which gave it a surprisingly pleasant ‘limey’ flavor! Medically, insects actually are said to contain higher-quality protein and minerals, which could provide significant health benefits.


Unfortunately, learning the backstory of Cambodians' enjoyment of insects drew our minds right back to the Khmer Rouge. During the years of Pol Pot's labor mandates, people were starving, and being caught stealing food would result in execution at gunpoint. The result: people would literally eat any insect they could find to survive. Our tour guide told us the story of his mother, who was forced to work in the fields 12 hours a day but was only given 40 grains of rice. Desperate times call for desperate measures; and in our likely future of global food shortages, we should be all the more grateful that many cultures are already embracing the art of insect culinary innovation!

In Cambodia, becoming a monk can be temporary, and every Buddhist man is expected to do so at some point during their lifetime. Our tour guide explains that he was a monk for just 3 days—during his father’s funeral. Death of a parent is a very common time for a son to become a monk, as it is believed that this provides blessings for one’s parents. Uncomfortably, we read that poorer Cambodians sometimes feel obligated to become monks, as this is their only way to obtain better education and housing. These survival-focused motivations and a lack of strong educators are leading to a concern that many Cambodian monks are not being proficiently trained to carry on the Buddhist teaching. Also, in contrast with what I learned from monks in Vietnam, monks here do not have to be vegetarian, and we saw at least some monks smoking cigarettes (these rules are derived from a different branch of Buddhism).

Angkor Wat - part 1

Our Lessons

After a sweaty 5-hour ride from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap in a so-called “VIP van,” we arrived at the nexus of the ancient Khmer Empire, and its legendary capital city of Angkor. Angkor, which flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, was a sprawling metropolis, known to have a population of a million people—during the same time period that London and Paris had barely achieved populations of 30,000 people with minimal infrastructure! Angkor was considered the largest pre-industrial city in the world, and to this day, the central Angkor Wat complex holds the title of the “largest temple complex” in the world.


Architecturally, perhaps the most mind-blowing part of Angkor is that it was built to survive dramatically fluctuating weather. The complex sits atop soil which gets flooded and waterlogged every ‘wet’ season, and then becomes dusty and firm every ‘dry’ season. Normally, building on land that swells and shrinks like this annually would lead to the rapid shifting and deterioration of any stone structure. However, due to this civilization's amazing hydro-engineering skills, Angkor has remained in relatively excellent condition for almost 1,000 years. This was accomplished by several means; most notably, by redirecting water year-round into an enormous moat system, which surrounds the temple complex. The moat serves as a draining system during the wet season and a reservoir during the dry season. This helps to maintain a relatively stable level of soil saturation throughout the year, avoiding wet/dry fluctuations. A huge network of canals leads away from the largest moats, further fine-tuning the soil saturation around individual temples, and irrigating crops and gardens year-round. Even today, travelers who fly into Siem Reap at certain times of the year can see the grid pattern of these old canals in the rice paddies that have grown over them—because the rice grows thicker and greener in the wetter soil around these former canals.

Angkor Wat - part 2

Our Lessons

Rolling out of bed to arrive at the primary Angkor Wat temple before daybreak was well worth the effort: over half an hour, the sky slowly changed from purple, to pink, to bright orange… followed by the glorious sun, which emerged directly over the central spire of the massive five-peaked temple complex. The construction techniques employed here are fascinating even by modern-day engineering standards. For instance, the temples feature mortarless construction. The inner blocks are made of laterite: a robust, porous iron-containing rock that hardens over time once exposed to the air. The laterite was then completely covered with an outer layer of sandstone: an ideal stone for sculpting, onto which the temple’s intricate carvings were made. Considering the rhythmic transition between monsoon and drought conditions every year since the temple’s construction in the 12th century, the carvings inside the temples have survived remarkably well—a testament to their leak-proof roof design. We are told the carvings were meant to immortalize the Angkor people’s history and religious beliefs. Interestingly, these beliefs transitioned from Hinduism to Buddhism towards the end of the 12th century, and Buddhism continues to predominate in the present day. Spending an entire morning strolling through its empty corridors, we regretted that so much more time would be needed to appreciate every area of this massive multi-level complex… but with only three short days in Siem Reap, there were many more ancient temples to explore, scattered through the region’s dense jungles.

Bayon Temple

Our Lessons

The Temple of Bayon epitomizes the creative genius (and inflated ego) of Cambodia’s most celebrated king—and Eric is quite convinced it also served as the artistic inspiration for antagonists in the Chronicles of Riddick. Bayon was constructed around the 12th century, as the state temple of the Buddhist King Jayavarman VII. Its iconic feature: 216 gigantic stone faces, four atop every tower, facing outward in each cardinal direction. Who were these faces depicting? None other than Jayavarman VII himself, most scholars believe!


In an unusual move, upon assuming the throne, the king’s son, Jayavarman VIII, did some redecorating. The young new king felt that the Buddhist gods had failed him, so he converted the temple—and then the entire Khmer Empire—to Hinduism. Jayavarman VIII embarked on a tirade of destruction or defacement of all of his father’s Buddhist works. This included the great statue of Buddha at Bayon, as well as smaller images of Buddha all over Angkor. Although subsequent kings converted the empire back to Buddhism, a large number of carvings along the tops of the city’s walls remain chipped and damaged from this event. Luckily for the father, it would appear the son kindly spared his 216 stone faces, which remain well-preserved for tourists to enjoy today.

Other Angkor Temples - part 1

Our Lessons

It was an incredible blessing to explore these immensely popular temples without another human in sight during this post-COVID time.

Other Angkor Temples - part 2

Our Lessons

In these empty ruins’ eerie silence, I imagined I was Laura Croft, trekking alone through sacred ruins which had been unseen by human eyes for so long that they had become overtaken by the jungle—wrapped in hundreds-year-old tree roots, like giant fingers. Thankfully, we did not encounter any trap doors.

Kampong Phluk - part 1

Our Lessons

The stilted village of Kampong Phluk along the Tonle Sap River is an amazing example of human adaptation to mother nature—and also an example of just how drastically the water levels can vary in this region of Cambodia, particularly in the absence of reservoirs like those in Angkor. In this monsoon-prone area, people have learned to elevate their homes up to 20 meters above the ground! We were here during the dry season, and we were able to see the clever construction of these homes: perfectly positioned for easy access to the river, ideal for people who rely on fishing as their main source of income.

Kampong Phluk - part 2

Our Lessons

We took a boat down a muddy estuary, to see how other locals earn a living out in the middle of the main Tonle Sap lake. Here we encountered several anchored barges, which included a floating restaurant, known for some unusual attractions. As the only customers of the day, the owner offered us a quick tour. In plastic bins scattered across the deck, we encountered baby crocodiles, followed by one-year-old crocs… and finally met several full-sized crocodiles, living in a cage underneath the restaurant! We got to feel the strength of their jaws while feeding them meat hooked to a fishing line (they are extremely strong). We asked the owner what type of meat we were feeding them. He laughed and said, "Crocodile meat, of course!" before stating, "It's chicken." We suspect it may actually have been crocodile meat because it did not look like chicken.


The baby crocodiles, on the other hand, were quite cute, and with a rubber band tightly wrapped around their snouts, I was safely able to hold and pet one. In fact, if I was willing to pay, I was told I could eat one… or his 1-year-old brother! Not here, thank you!


Interestingly, crocodile farming along the Tonle Sap River had been a lucrative source of income for many in past decades. At one point, wild crocodiles were almost hunted to extinction, because farmers would capture them to build up their own stock. In 2006 a Cambodian law prevented this, and the breeding of domestic crocs remained stable—until the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, there is less travel, less interest in products made from crocodile skin, and a bottlenecked export market run by Vietnamese traders, who set prices at their discretion. To quote the Phnom Penh Post in July 2022: “Crocodile farmers were previously called ‘crocodile bosses’, but now they are known as the ‘crocodile slaves’ because crocodiles have no value and no market, and we have to spend a lot of money on the crocodiles’ food instead of making a profit."

Siem Reap - part 1

Our Lessons

The town of Siem Reap was small, but it seemed to be recovering a bit faster from the pandemic tourist slump when compared to Thailand's northern cities. Several dozen foreign tourists had made their way to Pub Street on a Friday evening—more than we saw in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, combined. Several open-air clubs featured fog machines, booming sound systems, and impressively top-of-the-line music-synchronized projection lighting. Upscale restaurants featured unusual cuisines such as frog meat (tasted like chicken) and crocodile meat (tasted like fish), which patrons were able to cook for themselves on a tabletop grill (we were relieved when the waitress came over to help us!). Storefront attractions such as highly ticklish "fish pedicures" were available for a small fee.


In addition, Cambodians also celebrate Songkran, and we were present during the tail-end of the yearly event. The moment formal prayers ended at a local temple, music started blasting at a corner square, and hundreds of children came running over. Playfully chasing one another, they tried their best to hit each other with bags of powdered white chalk, before splashing each other with buckets of water. Water buckets quickly became inconsequential, however, after a group of adults opened up the hose on a fire truck, gleefully soaking the crowd with an entire tank’s worth of ‘New Year's blessings’!

Siem Reap - part 2

Our Lessons

It was a privilege to get to know "Son," our Cambodian tuk-tuk driver, who is such a kind person. This hardworking 27-year-old recently turned his mother’s old motorcycle into a tuk-tuk, to help raise his three-year-old daughter. Son’s life story is unfortunately a common one which we have heard repeatedly during our time in Cambodia: His parents were paired randomly and forced to marry, by order of the Khmer Rouge. They and Son’s grandparents still remember this painful period of their lives, and they have shared stories with Son of their struggle to find money to survive for years following the war. Since that time, the family’s financial situation has only mildly improved, as demonstrated by Son’s daily routine: He starts his day at 4 a.m., waiting for early-arriving passengers at the bus station. He then intermittently moves and waits, trying to time his waiting location based on where customers are most likely to be. However, he must be careful not to drive too much without a passenger, as gas is expensive. He usually doesn’t finish working until 7 p.m., after waiting one last time for the final bus to arrive. The gearbox of his motorcycle whines; he says he knows it will break soon if he does not get it repaired, but he needs to keep driving until he can save up at least $200 for this. On average, Son says he makes less than $30 a day. To save money on food, Son sometimes spends evenings catching tarantulas in the open fields to eat… but even tarantulas, he says, are getting harder to find. Indeed, a quick internet search confirms that wild tarantulas are being over-hunted in Cambodia :(


Son’s English was not great, but we were able to understand his story. It is certainly a conflicting feeling to know that our dollar goes a long way in this and many other countries. As tourists, we feel it is our responsibility to be reasonable and not over-negotiate prices, since where we come from a single meal can have the same value as someone’s entire weekly salary. We continued our journey with a renewed sense of humility, and respect for the tireless sacrifices that people around the world make on a daily basis to provide the best possible life for their families.

I can t think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything Suddenly you are five years old again You can t read anything you have only the most rudimentary sense of how things work and you can t reliably cross a street without endangering your life Your whole existence becomes a series of interesting guesses Bill Bryson
Instagram Glyph Icon
Youtube Official Icon
email icon
Amazon.Com
Web Wireframe Icon
Copyright Symbol Illustration

copyright 2023 LanRic Journeys. All Rights Reserved

Son Doong Cave, Quang Binh, VN

Countries covered in Volume 4 Malaysia Borneo Philippines Singapore Australia Fiji Viet Nam Chile Easter Island Bolivia Argentina Antarctica