This post concludes with photos of birds.
With our new WorkAway position volunteering at a small school in Chengannur in full swing, our schedule would run from about 10:30 to 3:00, minus a break for lunch. For the students, each day began with their National Anthem, their National Pledge, and the song that they called "the prayer". When the school director learned … Continue reading Encountering Familiar Faces in India
With several days to spend in and around Istanbul, we decided that we'd like to venture outside the city and see a bit of the rest of Turkey on at least one occasion. And being nearly surrounded by water, with numerous boats at our disposal, the best option seemed to be taking a marine excursion … Continue reading In and Around Istanbul
Istanbul is the only city on the planet that straddles two continents. Most of this sprawling megalopolis of 15 million souls is situated in Asia. But there's also a chunk of it across the Bosphorous Strait, in Europe. That chunk is where most of the historical points of interest are located, and it's where we … Continue reading Istanbul Birthday Weekend
On May 3, the driver for British Language Academy, Khalil, picked us up at the campus in Berrechid where we'd been volunteering, and drove us back to El Jadida to teach for another three days. Actually, he didn't take us all the way there, but dropped us off at the bus station, where we caught … Continue reading El Jadida take II
After teaching a few days at British Language Academy in Berrechid, Morocco, we were picked up, along with fellow volunteer Jason, and driven to Casablanca, where our van collected two more volunteers – these brand new, freshly arrived in town. From there we had a drive of about another 45 minutes to El Jadida, site … Continue reading Escape to El Jadida
On our second weekend in Chicaque Natural Park in Colombia, we really aimed high. First 105 feet, then 328 feet (or, to the locals, 32 meters and 100 meters respectively). We partook of a pair of airborne adventures offered by the park, at a substantial discount for volunteers. And they were definitely among the highlights, … Continue reading Hanging from Trees
photobombed by Alain who we met on the trail to Pico March 12 With our first week of volunteering concluded at UBHA school, we were free to spend a 3-day weekend hiking through the stupendous Chicaque Natural Park. On Saturday morning, we set out on a hike to visit one of its landmarks: Pico (the … Continue reading Exploring the Trails in Chicaque Natural Park
Although it's only half an hour from the buzzing metropolis of Bogota, Chicaque Natural Park is like a lost world, and parts of it seem far removed from any signs of civilization. It's 300 hectares (741 acres) of mountains, streams, thick vegetation, with a few but not too many tourist amenities like campgrounds, lodges, restaurants … Continue reading UBHA the One-Room Schoolhouse in a Colombian Cloud Forest
To the list of useful facilities and services that Villanueva, Colombia does not have, add bus terminal (nor train terminal, for that matter). Instead, it has a stretch of 3 or 4 blocks on the busiest street in town where buses and shuttles park (double-parking often would be a more accurate description) to discharge or … Continue reading Villanueva to Chicaque
During our third and final week in Villanueva, we were about to hit the panic button because Kimberly's phone suddenly stopped working. And her phone is the phone, the one we use to make calls and conduct other necessary business. Dennis' phone is mostly a door stop, though he can use it to get online, … Continue reading Final Week in Villanueva
world travel with a theatrical flair 