2008/07/07

modes of transport & wonders of the world

A question came in about what kind of transport would I recommend to see the world. Other than traditional ocean liners, my ways of getting from here to there have covered dugout canoe, dhow, schooner, mailboat, jumbo jet, rickshaw, freighter, dive boat, Piper Cub, icebreaker, helicopter, horse, bicycle, camel, ferry, train and last but not least, donkey. 
Ah yes, by foot too. Which sights to recommend? Tastes, expectations and wishes vary widely in the human family. Not to speak of experience. For me, looking back, five places stand out or have never left me. Pyramids of Egypt - amazing. Macchu Picchu - a wonder. Taj Mahal - the greatest ode to love in marble and semi-precious stone. Petra, Jordan - an awesome wonder. Finally, Alhambra in Andalousia, Spain - breathtaking, spine-chillling. Poetry in stone, intricate carving, precious filigree work. Gardens, fountains. All designed by the Moors with views of the snowclad Sierra Nevadas.
Of course there are more sights, natural and manmade. For pure Nature -- Lake Nakuru in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya. Clap your hands and the sky is full of bright pink flamingos, an unforgettable experience. 


Here's a picture of me in the Antarctic, at South Georgia, with thousands of penguins. The Banda Sea between Bali and Ambon - snorkelling and seeing 'jewels with tails and fins'. Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Enough, enough. One wonder at a time. Although life itself is a wonder and a mystery.