Author: serveradmin
The Arts
What I loved about Havana was a pervasive appreciation of the arts. On a wall a block from my hotel was a trompe l’oeil mural of Cuban writers dressed in nineteenth century garb. They were posed as if they were strolling the street or leaning out from balconies. I felt as if I were […]
Looking Back
Cuba is an experiment we can learn from, but there are many adjustments needed before its system becomes one we will emulate. The priority in Cuba to take care of the people through the health and educations systems I found refreshing yet the systems being used to control the people were unacceptable. Yet, as I […]
Botswana Quartet
Four stories of Botswana are from two recent trips. At the invitation of my niece and her husband, who were finishing a longer trip, I joined them and others of my family on a budget safari. The need for flexibility and patience reminded me of my travels when I was Annies age. After two days […]
!Xigera Lodge
!Xigera Lodge, the last stop for my birding tour, is located in the center of the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana. It is the only lodge in an expanse of wetlands rich with birdlife. At the airstrip, an odd vehicle built for viewing wildlife awaited my group of five and our guide, Terry. On the […]
Black Currawong
In northern Tasmania we encountered the raven-like Black Currawong, a cousin to the Grey Currawong we had seen in Sydney. The bill is heavier and longer, the body leaner with some white on the end of its tail. They hung around the lodge and picnic areas in search of meals like our crows and jays […]
Dinner in the Delta
On international birding tours, we are after birds. Any cultural experiences must fit into our packed birding schedule. In my travels, these exposures to local customs have been fascinating, educational and sometimes frustrating. One dinner in the Okavango Delta was not one of the best. Our first dinner at !Xigera Lodge in Botswana was an […]
Be Prepared
(Photos by Allen Denison, Reed Harrison and the author) After a night in Maun, Botswana, my tour group of sixteen helped carry our chairs, tents, food and kitchen equipment to the two flat-bottomed motor boats for the first leg into the Okavango Delta. Four of my family and I were on a budget safari, initiated […]
Crossing the Zambezi
Our guide had warned us that it might be a few hours wait before we could cross the Zambezi River from Botswana into Zambia. I feared the worst as we passed more than fifty large truck and trailer rigs parked on the side of the road. A few drivers languished near the rigs, but many […]
Introduction to Antarctica
In high school, I had read Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing, first published in 1959. When I learned about this dramatic exploration, my imagination went wild. I have always loved true adventure stories and this account of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s expedition was riveting. The descriptions of Antarctica and its severe polar conditions fired […]
1. First Stop, Falkland Islands
The bleak landscape of East Falkland Island came into clear view as I pressed my cheek against the plane’s cold window, surveying this remote island. Scrubby bushes peppered rugged hillsides, and one paved road dribbled off over a rise. Next to a few lonely airport buildings at Mount Pleasant Military Complex, a British flag flapped […]