Rita, I was re-reading my jungle journal from 1995 last night. It was Survivor before Survivor was a thing---wild pigs ate our food cache, we all had parasites, trench foot, malaria, the shits. And we couldn't vote anyone out of our 'island' in the Costa Rican rainforest. After enduring three months in non-stop rain in a hut with no walls on a steady rice and bean diet, it was a test of everything. It's much more enjoyable to watch the dysfunction on TV!
Hi Lisa, thank you! I've recently published the best of the worst--Trips That Went South: From Point A to B(eware) is now available in all the usual places (there's a Kindle version too). https://nimbus.ca/store/trips-that-went-south.html
Well, all your holiday shopping can be done in one swoop, Lisa! Do you follow JourneyWoman's page? It's a great resource for solo travel for women---I write for them as well. https://journeywoman.com/ It's also a great place to fall into a rabbit hole of never-considered-destinations like Socotra (an island south of Yemen).
Sounds like my kind of adventure minus the heat, GI issues, and wasps. I’ve never been caving before - maybe I’ll start with something a little more tame. I did really enjoy the via ferrata in Italy and would definitely be up for trying another one. It’s amazing what we will do in our to see things we are passionate about. I don’t think my digestive tract could survive everything that has been thrown at you in this adventure.
Yes, the heat was like stepping into fondue! We talked about your hair and how it would react (as so many solar-powered hotels/eco lodges came with warnings "NO HAIR DRYERS or CURLERS--they would sizzle the grid). My first cave experiences were actually in Kentucky and Tennessee--there was a high school geography trip that I signed up for every year. The teacher who organized it mostly wanted to go cross-border shopping but we did have several caves in between super malls. They're tame spelunking-wise but really marvelous AND you can be upright the entire time!
Kim and I actually stayed at the first Holiday Inn in Canada (Montreal) a few years ago when our plane circled Toronto and deemed landing impossible during a blizzard. The toilet was behind closed doors but the sink was in the bedroom proper and the microwave was bigger than the TV. Rustic! Speaking of the Holiday Inn, I think you'll enjoy this post by Rona Maynard--her writing is reliably insightful and as sharp as shark's teeth. https://ronamaynard.substack.com/p/were-all-in-the-hospitality-business
Jezus. Makes all our Canadian safety cautions seem like a joke. How many vaccinations and shots did you have to get before heading over there? I am absolutely horrified for the health of your gut flora. OMG! Jules- the pic you sent of the resort looks quite boogie; with an infinity pool and all. Just stay there, eat salty cheese and get fady so that you don't have to do any more excursions like that! For your next outing, be sure to bring gloves, a helmet, extra Clif bars...and maybe some Depends.
We've had the whole gamut over the years, Janine. Yellow fever, polio boosters, Dukarol, hep---and after all my African travels, I ended up with an E. coli infection from a weekend in Nashville!
It's interesting that the Yellow fever vax used to have a 10-year expiry on it. Now, allegedly, it's valid for a lifetime ('they' would rather more people had one time inoculations than two and for some reason there's a shortage of this vaccine).
Next destination I'll reach out to you for a suggested packing list. And gargle more rum during the trip. Deal? Thanks for reading!
You two should sign up for Survivor!!
Rita, I was re-reading my jungle journal from 1995 last night. It was Survivor before Survivor was a thing---wild pigs ate our food cache, we all had parasites, trench foot, malaria, the shits. And we couldn't vote anyone out of our 'island' in the Costa Rican rainforest. After enduring three months in non-stop rain in a hut with no walls on a steady rice and bean diet, it was a test of everything. It's much more enjoyable to watch the dysfunction on TV!
Love your adventure stories!
Hi Lisa, thank you! I've recently published the best of the worst--Trips That Went South: From Point A to B(eware) is now available in all the usual places (there's a Kindle version too). https://nimbus.ca/store/trips-that-went-south.html
Thanks Jules!
I know several solo female travelers who would really enjoy your writing.
Well, all your holiday shopping can be done in one swoop, Lisa! Do you follow JourneyWoman's page? It's a great resource for solo travel for women---I write for them as well. https://journeywoman.com/ It's also a great place to fall into a rabbit hole of never-considered-destinations like Socotra (an island south of Yemen).
I'll pass this along:) Thanks!
Sounds like my kind of adventure minus the heat, GI issues, and wasps. I’ve never been caving before - maybe I’ll start with something a little more tame. I did really enjoy the via ferrata in Italy and would definitely be up for trying another one. It’s amazing what we will do in our to see things we are passionate about. I don’t think my digestive tract could survive everything that has been thrown at you in this adventure.
Yes, the heat was like stepping into fondue! We talked about your hair and how it would react (as so many solar-powered hotels/eco lodges came with warnings "NO HAIR DRYERS or CURLERS--they would sizzle the grid). My first cave experiences were actually in Kentucky and Tennessee--there was a high school geography trip that I signed up for every year. The teacher who organized it mostly wanted to go cross-border shopping but we did have several caves in between super malls. They're tame spelunking-wise but really marvelous AND you can be upright the entire time!
OMG....
This is why I no longer seek adventure.
A Holiday Inn without room service is about as rustic as I'm willing to get....
Kim and I actually stayed at the first Holiday Inn in Canada (Montreal) a few years ago when our plane circled Toronto and deemed landing impossible during a blizzard. The toilet was behind closed doors but the sink was in the bedroom proper and the microwave was bigger than the TV. Rustic! Speaking of the Holiday Inn, I think you'll enjoy this post by Rona Maynard--her writing is reliably insightful and as sharp as shark's teeth. https://ronamaynard.substack.com/p/were-all-in-the-hospitality-business
Thanks!
I did!!
Jezus. Makes all our Canadian safety cautions seem like a joke. How many vaccinations and shots did you have to get before heading over there? I am absolutely horrified for the health of your gut flora. OMG! Jules- the pic you sent of the resort looks quite boogie; with an infinity pool and all. Just stay there, eat salty cheese and get fady so that you don't have to do any more excursions like that! For your next outing, be sure to bring gloves, a helmet, extra Clif bars...and maybe some Depends.
We've had the whole gamut over the years, Janine. Yellow fever, polio boosters, Dukarol, hep---and after all my African travels, I ended up with an E. coli infection from a weekend in Nashville!
It's interesting that the Yellow fever vax used to have a 10-year expiry on it. Now, allegedly, it's valid for a lifetime ('they' would rather more people had one time inoculations than two and for some reason there's a shortage of this vaccine).
Next destination I'll reach out to you for a suggested packing list. And gargle more rum during the trip. Deal? Thanks for reading!