Last spring my husband and I decided to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. For four days we traversed the beautiful if well-worn trail, stopping frequently for breaks and gnawing on coca leaves. As we rested, our guides gave us mini-history lessons and answered our questions about the trail, Machu Picchu and Peru in general. Our weary legs needed a break, our lungs ached from the high altitude.
Not that we really had all that much to complain about. Let’s face it … the hard work was really on the shoulders of our porters—literally. Sure, we had a day pack with water, snacks and a rain jacket, but the porters each carried up to 25 kilograms / 55 pounds on their backs every step of our journey. They carried our tents and sleeping bags, all the cooking gear, fuel, water and food—not to mention their own personal items.
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Posted in: Charity
The Las Vegas Strip is cluttered with magic shows. It’s easy to find tickets for a show where men “saw” a woman in half or apply slight of hand in the elusive balls-under-cups trick. But to be taken by a couple of goofy magicians who lead the audience to believe they’re going to be let in on some of the industry’s greatest secrets is exciting and fun—if not a bit embarrassing as well.
Penn & Teller have been performing together for 30 years—five of which have been at their present venue in the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Penn Jillette acts as commentator for the show. His large frame and comedic and boisterous personality are in stark contrast to Teller (who legally has no first name). Teller acts as the silent half of the duo; his stature is small but his hands are quick. You’ve got to keep an eye on this sneaky magician. Because Penn does all of the talking in the show, Teller is frequently at the center of the tricks.
During a pre-show, jazz pianist Mike Jones and a well-disguised Penn playing bass entertain the audience as the theater fills. Audience members are invited up on stage to examine a large box. The box—a sturdy, solid wooden structure on wheels—comes into use as soon as the show starts. The lights dim, the door to the box opens … and out pops Teller. (Seriously, where does this guy come from?)
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Posted in: Do, I Love Las Vegas
I spend a lot of time hopping around the Internet looking for travel magazines that don’t know yet that they want to feature my writing front and center. As a student at MatadorU, I’ve stepped up the search for my own writing purposes, and if you are also an aspiring travel writer, I encourage you to check out the following paying publications, all of which are currently seeking submissions:
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Posted in: Travel Writing
Andreas Susana isn’t your typical travel and tourism writer. He doesn’t live out of a suitcase, hop planes or mark off countries as he makes his way around the world. Instead, Andreas does something that almost seems counter intuitive to the travel writer style: He sticks around his home territory in Graz, Austria, and visits a different castle, museum or exhibit every single day.
I’m intrigued by Andreas’ passion to explore his own backyard and his desire to journey into the culture and history of his neighborhood. And even though he’s not running to catch a plane, I am grateful that he took the time to answer a few questions about his outlook on travel and how we can all benefit from taking advantage of our local tourist attractions.
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Posted in: Personalities
Las Vegas isn’t really known for its suburbs and the primary reason for that is there really aren’t any. But located to the southeast of Las Vegas proper is Henderson, and in Henderson is MonteLago Village Resort, a classy lake getaway surrounded by the Nevada desert. It encompasses a huge, well-manicured community, 320-acre private lake, rolling golf course, casino and hotel. It really is a spectacular change from the casino resorts stacked on top of one another down Las Vegas Boulevard.
But this post isn’t about MonteLago Village Resort.
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Posted in: Do, Eat, Go, I Love Las Vegas
First, the disclosure: I was originally drawn to Tripbase by its creative writing competition. I dig anything that can net some spare cash to help pay for my next great adventure. But regardless of my desire to walk away with prize money, I thought that readers of Kaleidoscopic Wandering, who have enjoyed previous posts offering six websites that inspire travel and then another one listing five more, would at least appreciate a review of the site that claims you can “travel your way.”
And now, the review …
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Posted in: Inspiration, Resources
I’ve been to many “gateway” cities that practically wrote the definition of the word “tacky.” Cusco, Peru, is a city with the very real opportunity to turn into a kitschy, touristy city, but I was pleasantly surprised to find the traditional and the trendy blend together on Cusco’s cobblestone streets. Old women with long, dark braids spilling down their backs held hands with their young children, who also dressed in traditional Peruvian clothing. They walked side-by-side with visitors to the city, who walked the streets with backpacks in tow.
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Posted in: Go
Learning the local language is key to integrating into a new culture. It’s always a good idea to know how to greet locals with “hello” and “how are you.” You’ll probably want to know how to say “please,” “thank you” and “you’re welcome” as well. And, of course, it’s not a bad idea to know how to ask where the closest bathroom is.
While learning the local language is important for truly understanding and appreciating a country and its people, it also allows you to communicate your concerns and be proactive in protecting yourself in unfamiliar territory. What should you say if you feel a pickpocket’s hands on you? What if you’re being harassed by street vendors? Is someone standing a little bit too close for comfort? What do you say then?
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Posted in: Language
