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Meet Our Botswana Guides

As you know, there's been a lot in the news about racial tensions and violence, especially here in the USA. It makes me angry and very sad to hear of yet another person being killed or harassed or discriminated against based on something that they absolutely cannot control: The natural color of their skin! At WorldwideXplorer, we do not condone discrimination of any kind and we will not tolerate it. We are, always have been, and always will be advocates for equality and justice, peace and love, understanding and learning. We feel that it is our duty as humans to help one another out, learn from each other, and create and spread positivity and love wherever we are, wherever we go.

For this week's travel inspiration, I'm focussing the spotlight on two of the amazing people that we work with in Botswana who help make our incredible sarafis happen: Bibi and Andy!

Left to right: Bibi, Marisa (that's me!), Sarat (my husband), and Andy in Atlanta, GA

In 2017, WorldwideXplorer had the opportunity and the privilege to fly Bibi and Andy from Botswana to the United States and our hometown area of Atlanta, Georgia! It was a pleasure showing them some of the most popular sights here in Atlanta (such as the aquarium, World of Coke, Stone Mountain Park, and more)! We also had a reunion with some of the travelers who were part of our 2013 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) Safari group! Bibi and Andy gave lively, educational presentations at the OLLI campus in Athens, GA, at the Kiwanis Club of Roswell, GA, and at the Milton, GA Library.

Bibi with one of our OLLI safari groups in Botswana

If you travel with us to Botswana and Zambia, you will very likely have Bibi as your guide, or at the very least he will be working behind the scenes to make sure that everything happens smoothly. Bibi has lived in Botswana his entire life and speaks multiple African languages! He is of course fluent in English as well. Bibi has worked as a safari guide for decades and knows the habitats and behaviors of the endemic wildlife in the area. I cannot tell you how many times Bibi has spotted an animal during one of our game drives that nobody else in the vehicle has seen! He also happens to be an exceptionally kind person and does not hesitate to stop and help others.

Bibi giving a presentation at OLLI in Athens, GA, USA

Andy is another one of our trustworthy guides in Botswana, and he knows quite a lot about photography! When you go on a game drive with him, he will also have his camera ready to take photos along with you! Andy likewise has lived in Botswana his entire life and has made a career of being an excellent guide in Botswana.

Andy giving a presentation at OLLI in Athens, GA, USA

We hope to host more of our guides from around the world as business improves, and would love to bring Bibi and Andy back again too.

Until next week,

Marisa

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Happy #WorldGorillaDay!

Today is World Gorilla Day, and that means something special to us at WorldwideXplorer. We began offering gorilla hiking safari tours to Uganda and Rwanda, where you can hike to see groups of habituated gorillas, in 2014. I went on our first ever safari to this region and had the most delightful time observing and admiring these gentle giants of the misty mountains in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the Virunga Mountains to name a couple of places.. They were so much more calm than I would have ever pictured. Though the hike to get to them can be daunting, it’s definitely worthwhile.

Calm Silverback Gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

We also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank the wonderful organizations that are working to preserve and help these creatures. When we were in Rwanda, we visited the Gorilla Doctors, wildlife veterinarians who do an amazing job monitoring and caring for the gorillas with as little human intervention as necessary (but they will intervene when required). They’re one of the main reasons why gorilla numbers are increasing! Hats off as well to the relatively new Ellen Degeneres Wildlife Fund which is also helping gorilla conservation efforts.

With a little bit of effort comes a lot of hope!

Young gorilla descending quickly from tree

Marisa with crazy hair after a massively difficult hike in Rwanda. Worth it!

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Happy Holidays & Happy 2021!

This week, I’m celebrating Christmas, so I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your family happy holidays, no matter what you celebrate! There are wonderful festivals and holidays throughout the year, celebrated around the world. I also want to take this opportunity to celebrate you! Thank you for following my blog journey and WorldwideXplorer virtual photo and video tours around the world. Have a safe and happy holiday season! I usually post on Fridays, and next week Friday is new year’s day. My next new post will resume on Friday, January 8th. In the meantime, happy new year as well - may 2021 be your best year yet!

Sincerely always,

Marisa

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Hiking Huayna Picchu - is it worthwhile?

Last week, I told you about and showed you some of the remarkable beauty at the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in the Andes Mountains of Peru. When you visit Machu Picchu, did you know that it's also possible to hike even higher and visit Huayna Picchu (also spelled Wayna Picchu)? Huayna Picchu is the tip of the background mountain when you view the citadel:

The first question you should ask is: SHOULD I hike Huayna Picchu? When I visited with my husband and our two friends, we relied on the advice of several local people who said it would take maybe 2 hours up and 1.5 hours to come back down and that it wasn't too difficult. It sounded easy enough and the view sounded like it would be worthwhile. When we first started hiking, it wasn't too bad. The initial slope and steps were quite gradual. However, once we started really gaining altitude, it gradually became more difficult.

Initial part of the Huayna Picchu climb

By the time we were about 1.5 hours into the hike, it became a lot more difficult. It had rained that morning, and the steps were getting wet and slippery. There were also times when two of the steps might be 3 feet (1 meter) apart on a very steep slope! And there were no ropes or safety equipment of any kind to grab if you started to slip; we were surrounded by steep mountains on every side! The only reason we persevered is because we figured that we must be close since we'd been climbing for close to 2 hours at that point. Boy were we wrong! It took another 1.5 miserable hours of grueling hiking to finally reach the top!

Dreamy view from the top of Huayna Picchu looking down at Machu Picchu

When we did finally reach the top, after the most dangerous and scary part of the hike, we were certainly relieved and rewarded with an amazing view. It looked like we were viewing Machu Picchu and the surrounding area from a plane! However, we were seated on a makeshift ledge, literally 5 feet (less than 2 meters) from the cliff's edge. One wrong move off the edge, and we'd fall thousands of feet below. I sat on that ledge, literally terrified, for more than half an hour before I could even bring myself to take out my camera and take the photo above! And it took another half an hour before I was willing to stand up long enough to have my photo taken with my husband in this photo below!

Marisa and Sarat, somehow still alive after a truly terrifying hike

I kept saying that I would stay up there until a helicopter could be sent to rescue me! Knowing that I had to take the exact hike back down that I had to take on the way up didn't help calm my nerves. Somehow, we did make it down and clearly, we survived. But, SHOULD we have done the hike? Knowing what I know now, I would not do it again. Unless they fix the terrifyingly dangerous conditions, it is simply not worth risking your life. We climbed up the original steps used by the Inca people - 600 years ago - and it seemed none of the steps had been repaired or replaced since those times! Before you hike up, park rangers have you sign a guest log (and sign again when you come back down). I'm sure they do this so they know how many people they lose per day. And those statistics are not published anywhere. The point of my story is this: I've traveled to all of these places that I tell you about each week. I experience as much as I can on each journey so that I can advise you not just about things that "sound" interesting, but things that I've experienced myself. I will always be honest about my experiences because I want to guide you to make the right choice for yourself. When you work with WorldwideXplorer, you work directly with me. You simply can't get that kind of advice or information from most travel companies or most travel agents.

Until next week,

Marisa

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Virtual Tours

It’s not possible to travel at the moment, but it’s always possible to dream of travel. One way that we all dream of travel is through photography. I’ve been an avid photographer for as long as I can remember, starting with the cheap 35mm disposable cameras that one could buy in pharmacies when I was a child, to the half frame DSLR with a powerful zoom lens that I use today. I do not make a living from my photography, but I love it nonetheless!

I’ve started a “virtual tours” photo page right on the WorldwideXplorer site. You and I may not be traveling right now, but my photographs are available for purchase any time. And right now, they also come with a small gift of chocolate! See for yourself: WorldwideXplorer Virtual Photo Tours. 

It’s a mix of a few scenery photos and a few wildlife photos.

As always, I have a much bigger selection of photos available on my Marisa Meisters Photography web site.

Until next week, thank you for your support! - Marisa

[worldwidexplorer]

Get Lost.... in Latvia!

When you take a vacation, do you go back to the same place, time after time? Or do you prefer to explore something different that is off the beaten path?

Sometimes, you don’t even have to stray much to find yourself in a delightful new situation, just far enough from the beaten path to get away from the tourist traps while still being dazzled by authentic experiences, especially if you’re looking for something different to see and do in Europe. If this describes you, then your perfect European vacation destination may be the beautiful country of Latvia, nestled between Estonia and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea.

Latvia is a cosmopolitain country with a rich history that spans thousands of years. Historically, Latvia has been occupied by rulers from Lithuania, Poland, Germany, and most recently, Russia. With the collapse of the Berlin Wall, Latvia (and many other nations) regained independence. With such a rich history of political change, it is not surprising that the countryside is dotted with historic castles that are waiting to be explored. Many of the defensive castles and churches are close to 1,000 years old. You can even see how silver jewelry designs that originated hundreds of years ago are incorporated into modern day Latvian jewelry. Love local crafts and jewelry? Latvia’s amber and silver jewelry, and knit woolen handicrafts will not disappoint!

Turaida Castle, built around 1200 AD and used as a defensive fortress

As Latvia modernized, palaces and manor houses also began to appear in the 1700’s. Some of these, such as the spectacular Rundale Palace, are open to the public and give a glimpse of how the aristocracy lived.

Rundale Palace - A glimpse of aristocratic history in Latvia

Riga, the capital city, is always alive and bustling. The Old Town area has buildings that were constructed hundreds of years ago, nestled among newer construction. Some of the plazas, piazzas, and cafes throughout the city are reminiscent of what you’d see in Italy, minus the throngs of tourists. Latvians love their gardens, and you will find beautiful parks and gardens scattered throughout the city.

Cosmopolitan Riga, a delightful walking city

Latvia’s lush countryside is full of birch forests, rolling hills, farm lands, lakes, waterfalls and parks.  Do you like beaches? Being on the Baltic Sea, Latvia has these as well throughout its costal border. You might even try your luck looking for tiny pieces of Amber! Jurmala, just a short drive from Riga, is probably the best known beach getaway and has a large pedestrian thoroughfare lined with shops, restaurants and cafes.

Beautiful countryside escapes abound in Latvia!

The rich culture in Latvia can be experienced through song and dance. There are always opportunities to hear local music and learn about centuries-old customs and traditional costumes.

Wherever you venture in Latvia, from the largest restaurants to the smallest countryside cafes, you are sure to find delicious food at reasonable prices. From pīrāgi (bread that is traditionally filled with bacon, or other meats or vegetables), to potato pancakes, lavish meals and heavenly desserts, Latvia is a tantalizing treat for the tastebuds.

These crepes in a little restaurant in Riga were beyond delicious!

Next time you want to see Europe without the crowds, head to Latvia!

Have questions or want to learn more about Latvia? Please visit my WorldwideXplorer web site for details, or call me at +1-678-243-0080, or fill out this contact form.

Wishing you safe travels,

Marisa