Matt's Million

Matt's back!!

I don't know about you but

I've missed having Matt post on the blog. 

I would walk (fly) 500 (a million) miles…

As we returned from Texas, where we were celebrating the marriage of Selena’s daughter to the lovely John, I reached a landmark that I’d been building to for literally my entire life – flying a million miles.  The 4,900 miles from Austin to Heathrow took me to a grand total of 1,002,864 miles flown.  So I reached the landmark 42% of the way through the flight, which (by my calculation) means I was overhead Halifax, Nova Scotia when the magic moment happened.

 

The only picture I took when I was in Halifax.  Was going through a video phase at the time…

A million miles?  That’s a million proper miles, rather than a million air miles, which you can accumulate with credit cards and hotels and rental cars.  A million miles is London to the moon, and back.  And then to the moon again, then back again with enough left over to get from London to Sydney.  And back.  And then from London to Sydney again.  And back again.  With enough left over to get you to Cairo.  You get the idea!

Your correspondent in Sydney.  No, wait…

At this point, I need to apologise if this sounds like I’m showing off.  Travel has been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember, and while some people spend their money on kids, clothes or crazy stuff like pensions, I’ve spent mine on travel.  And after all, you are reading a travel blog!

How do I know I’ve flown a million miles?  I have a spreadsheet.  I’ve wanted to blog about my spreadsheets for some time now but according to Selena, the subject is “too niche”, “too introverted“ and (what’s was the phrase she used?) – “too mind-numbingly tedious” to blog about.  But here’s my chance!

I’ve tracked every flight and using webflyer.com, checked the distance between each airport flown.  It took a bit of work to get started, and required me to trawl through my parents’ photo albums to remember where we went on our Summer Holidays in 1976 (Gatwick to Gerona, 653 miles each way).  But I have what I believe to be a complete record of every flight flown, including the flights to the Grand Canyon we took in 1987 (Las Vegas to an unnamed landing strip in the Grand Canyon, 169 miles each way).

Las Vegas, whose airport I’ve transited 39 times…

Once you’ve compiled your records, you can see some fascinating things.  Well, fascinating to me, at least.  I’ve taken 564 flights, so each was 1,778 miles, which is almost exactly the distance from Calgary to Ottawa (which I flew on Air Canada in 2009).  The longest flight was Sydney to Los Angeles (7,490 miles, which I’ve done 8 times) – San Francisco to Sydney is actually 70 miles shorter (which I’ve only done once).  The shortest flight was only 56 miles (between La Ceiba and Roatan airports in Honduras), closely followed by Carlsbad to Los Angeles (only 82 miles, but it could take 3 hours by road).  Third shortest was from Tegucigalpa to La Ceiba (120 miles, which I only mention because Tegucigalpa is one of my favourite places to pronounce!).

Tegucigalpa was too ugly to photograph, so here is your correspondent in Roatan.

My most active year was 2003, when I flew 93,880 miles on 34 flights.  I have had many years of zero miles flown, although none since 1991.  I’ve flown British Airways 54 times, for a total of 91,200 miles, but Singapore Air wins the distance title with 112,200 miles spread across 36 flights.  In 2002 I only flew 9 times, but each one averaged 4,483 miles, which is roughly the distance from London to Miami.  Heathrow is my most transited airport (with 96), followed by Gatwick (88) and Sydney (80).

 

Only went through Bandar Seri Begawan airport twice, but it gives me an excuse to post this photo!  Bandar Seri Begawan is right up there with Tegucigalpa in my list of favourite place names!

Ok, perhaps I am showing off a little…  So what’s next?  Another million miles, obviously (London to Budapest soon - 923 miles each way).  A friend has also turned me on to openflights.org, which will track your flights online (and will turn your history into maps and other fun things), but even if I sign-up for this, I think I’ll maintain my little spreadsheet for as long as I’m still flying!

He's such a numbers geek.

One of the many things I love about him.

Do you collect miles? 

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I've been to... with Matthew - Morocco

When I have something difficult to say, I often turn to Matt for guidance.

He's great at helping me turn my thoughts into words.

So, when it was time to write about Marrakesh I asked Matthew.

"How do I say this?"  "How do I say that I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would?"

Everyone raves about Marrakesh.  It was the last stop of our tour and the one I was most excited about.

I'm not sure if it's because it was last, or maybe how and where we spent our time,
but it was my least favorite.  I'm going to let Matt help me out a bit.

I've been to... Morocco.

I went in 2013 as part of an Explore Worldwide trip with Selena.  I'm sure you've been reading about our travels here on Oh, the places we will go!  We started in Malaga in Spain, travelling through Moorish hill towns to Algeciras where we boarded a ferry to Morocco.

I’ve always loved borders.  I’ve often been perplexed by how much significance is placed on a line on a map.  A line that was drawn many years ago in a place many miles away by someone who may never have even visited the region they were bifurcating.  When I lived in San Diego I used to enjoy visiting Border Field State park, which sat right at the South-Westernmost corner of the USA.  Through a slender chain link fence was Tijuana in Mexico, physically only feet away, but economically another planet.

In Europe these days, it’s often difficult to even see its borders.  We recently travelled from Austria into Slovakia, and as it was a new country for Selena we wanted to celebrate the achievement, especially as we were crossing the “Iron curtain”.  I think we noticed a crease in the landscape that might have been the border, and there were some abandoned buildings that might have formerly been a customs point, but Europe’s economic integration is now so advanced that we couldn’t be sure.

So as we boarded the ferry in Algeciras, I was really excited to be crossing a border, especially as I was crossing a new one (I’d not been to Morocco before), was crossing by an unusual means (a ferry) and we were also crossing a continental border, which is quite tricky to do.  Unless you live in Istanbul of course, where some people do it every day.

Whilst I love borders, I don’t usually care much for border towns.  Tijuana was a bit of a dump, not to mention being a very dangerous place to visit these days.  When I lived in Singapore, the excitement of crossing the border to Malaysia marginally outweighed the disappointment of then having to spend time in Johor Bahru.  Tangier in Morocco has some charming corners, but can’t be described as Morocco at its best.

Fez however, was a revelation.  Founded in 789, if you dive into the Medina and tune out the TVs and Coca Cola refrigerators, you could easily be in the middle ages.  Traditional crafts are still pursued using medieval technologies.  Mules remain the primary form of transport through the narrow, winding alleys.  Butchers ply their trade (and offer their wares) in an authentic, but disconcertingly public way. 

The sights, sounds and smells are truly alien, but are fascinating to experience.  I can think of very few places where such an authentic and ancient experience can be found.  Damascus is close, but it’s not as ancient and it’s not a particularly attractive tourist destination right now.

Explore tours are usually structured to give you a big finish.  Our tour ended in Marrakech, so we were excited to reach the desert city to see what Explore had saved for the finale.  Gwyneth Paltrow, Sienna Miller and the Beckhams love it there.  Yves-Saint Laurent and Jean-Paul Gaultier own property there.  EasyJet and Ryanair fly there.  It must be great, right?  Oh, dear.

It’s rare for me to actively dislike a place.  I disliked Caracas, but visited in 1995 during widespread rioting during Venezuela’s economic crisis, so was too scared to leave the hotel.  Central Ghana was picturesque, but my time there turned into a tour of every available toilet as I got very, very ill.  But I’d rush back to either of these places before going back to Marrakech.

Marrakech was founded in 1062, and has a medieval souk and the same blend of mosque and mystery as Fez.  But Marrakech feels fake in comparison.  First of all, everyone speaks English.  In Fez, you need Arabic, French or a range of enthusiastic hand signals to communicate (in that order).  When you find a dense concentration of English speakers in a non-English speaking country, it tells me that their primary purpose in life is not to pursue ancient crafts and traditions, but to extract money from American tourists.

The central medina is a large, open space at the centre of the city, which fills up with tourist tat during the day.  Stalls will sell you low-quality, high-priced souvenirs.  Berber women will overcharge you for “traditional” henna tattoos.  Snake charmers and monkey wranglers will pose with you, then extort cash from you for the “pleasure”.

Let me linger on this for a moment.  Don't give money to a snake charmer or a monkey wrangler, in Marrakech or elsewhere.  The snakes and monkeys are taken from the wild, kept in appalling conditions and are tortured for your entertainment.  There is nothing authentic  about the experience and as long as people continue to pay for photos, the practise will continue.  I saw a monkey attack his handler with teeth and claws bared.  I was cheering for the monkey.

At night, the Medina turns into what must be the world’s largest street-food market. Whilst this is quite an experience, and some of the food is excellent, it’s a rather intimidating experience with every pickpocket in North Africa putting in a long and lucrative shift.

There are good, ethical operators in Marrakech, such as an independent hotel and hammam that we visited a few alleys down from the central Medina (post to come).  Some of the city’s accommodation is excellent and we enjoyed some great food while we were there.  But overall, Marrakech was a disappointment.

If Marrakech was your only experience of Morocco, I can see how the exoticism and mystery of the place (not to mention the climate) would make it an attractive destination.  If your only opportunity to visit Morocco was to go to Marrakech, then go, as the country has so much to offer . 

But let me say that Fez is so much more authentic and would make for a much more enjoyable experience.  As would Rabat.  Even Casablanca felt like it would be more interesting to explore.  Easyjet and Ryanair do fly to Fez, too.  

To be honest, when I first read Matt's draft I told him I wouldn't post it.  Way too blunt.
Even though I agree with most of it, I want to talk about the positives of the places that we visit.
I want to fall in love with every place we visit.  It's easy to write the good stuff.

But, what do you say when a place disappoints.  It's not an amusement park designed for our pleasure.

It's someone's Home, Sweet Home.  How do I say that I didn't enjoy it without being offensive?  

I guess honestly.   And with the disclaimer that this is simply our experience.

We were there for a very short amount of time and saw a limited part of the city.

We had a tourist experience that left us feeling disappointed rather than the
authentic experience that we were craving.

We did have some really great moments there that I'll definitely share with you.

But, I'll steer future travelers to Fes or Rabat over Marrakesh every time.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you a bit more about my experience and why I came away with a negative perception. 

Where were you excited to visit that left you feeling a bit deflated?

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I've been to... with Matthew - Bangladesh

It's time for another guest post from Matthew.

I 've been to... Bangladesh.

In 2006, I signed up for a tour through Explore! Worldwide that promised to take us to many of India’s holiest places, travelling wherever possible by train.  The trip is still available and now starts in Kolkata, but back in 2006 the trip started in Bangladesh.  Armed with a ticket and a visa, I boarded a plane bound for Dhaka, apprehensive about what I would experience but excited to see a place that most people know little about.

 Bangladesh sits at the mouth of the Ganges delta, so there is a lot of water.

Firstly, a little history which helps explain why Explore’s tour now starts in Kolkata.  The Bengal region had been part of the British Raj, but as a result of the 1947 partition of the region, the Western portion of Bengal joined India, with the majority Muslim Eastern part becoming East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan).  West Pakistan ruled from Islamabad, 1,600 miles away with about 1,000 miles of Indian territory in between.

East Pakistan had a larger population and was economically more significant than the West, so the population became unhappy with this arrangement and a progressively more violent independence struggle rumbled on for 20 years.  The situation came to a head in 1971 with a 9 month war which led to Bangladeshi independence.  Through the conflict, the occupying Pakistani army committed a number of atrocities, including the murder of between 300,000 and 3 million civilians (the number depends on who you talk to – the Bangladeshis are adamant it’s the higher number).

 

Quite a slogan to build a campaign around

Recently the country has held a number of war crime trials, which has unsettled the country and has made it a less attractive tourist destination.  But even in 2006, tourism was very limited and seeing a visitor was a novel experience for most Bangladeshis.  My strongest memory was of a crowd gathering to watch us whenever we stopped.  The concept of privacy is very different in that part of the world, so staring (and being stared at) was nothing unusual for the locals, no matter how uncomfortable it made us feel.

 

Look!  Tourists!

We stopped at some remote places as we travelled through the country, and sizable crowds would often gather.  We were escorted by the military, which was intended to make us feel at ease, but actually served to further highlight where we were and as the troops tended to fan out ahead of us, where we were going.  A few troubled countries with tourist industries tend to do this and it’s never been clear to me that an armed escort really helps.

 

Our escorts.  The lowest quality photo we’ve ever posted, but you get the idea.

So what is there to see in Bangladesh?  To be honest, not much.  During colonial times, it was a relatively unimportant outpost, so didn’t really benefit from the investment in great public works that more “important” colonial cities received.  The underdeveloped economy lacks the wealth to support a great infrastructure.

Very pleasant

There are some (lower scale) colonial gems to explore, such as Dhaka University, but the post-independence monuments tend to feature large quantities of concrete in unusual geometric formations.  As an example, the Jatiyo Sriti Shoudho (the National Martyrs' Memorial) is located in a small town around 30 miles outside Dhaka, which makes the country’s most interesting monument actually quite difficult to visit.

 

The National Martyrs' Memorial

The most interesting thing about Bangladesh is undoubtedly its people.  Bangladesh is the world’s 8^th most populous country, with over 150 million people crammed into a country smaller than Illinois.  So there are a lot of people living in extremely close proximity, and it’s even more cramped than it might sound as around 20% of the country is either waterway or uninhabitable swampland.

 

Travelling by water is a very developed industry

There’s a resilience to the population that you can only really understand by visiting.  We joke about “first world problems” - a quick scan of my Facebook news feed would suggest that the greatest challenge my “first world” friends face is how to complete that tricky level on Candy Crush.  Your perspective shifts when you read that 30 million Bangladeshis lost their homes during the flooding of 1998, which left two thirds of the country underwater.  The average income of the 150 million Bangladeshis is just over US $1,000.

The world is a fascinating place and a visit to Bangladesh will certainly enhance your understanding of it complexity.

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Top Five Things About Being Married to a Brit

Today is our three year anniversary!
And it's Matthew's Birthday! 

Yes, we got married on his 40th birthday.  That way he'll never forget our anniversary. 

I can't believe it's been three years and what exciting years they've been.

I knew when I met Matthew that life would never be the same and I'm one lucky lady.

Here are my top five things about being married to a my Brit.

  

 

The Brains

Matthew is wicked smart which can be both wonderful and annoying.  He can solve any math problem in his head in seconds.  It's crazy.  He knows so much about the world from his travels.  He's been fed history and knowledge from the BBC since he was born.  He is also a wiz at Pub Quiz.  I think it's from watching all of those British Quiz Shows growing up.  Who needs Google when Matt's around.  And if you don't believe me, just ask him.  He'll be happy to tell you how brilliant he is.  (You'll notice modesty is not on my list.) 

 The Laughter

 I learned at a young age that a good sense of humor is a sign of intelligence.  So, not only is Matthew wicked smart, he is hilarious.  His wit is quick and sharp.  (British humor can sting so I appreciate it most when it's not directed at me.)  He is also a big goof and can pull me out of the gloomiest of moods with his antics.  He has no shame which is so embarrassing refreshing.  He's my big goof.

 The Dancing

 He's got moves like Jagger.  No, really.  He does.

 

The Accent

 I can't resist Matt's British accent. It's adorable.

I also can't resist "takin' the piss out of it."

"Would you like some wahhhta?"

He gives it right back though.

You should hear us when I start with the British accent and he starts with an American accent.

We crack ourselves up.

The Sharing 

The best thing about marrying Matt is the world that he has shared with me.

Gin & tonics, travel and an awesome camera are just a few of the perks of being with Matt.

He has taught me things and encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone.

  There are a million reasons why I love this man.

Don't get me wrong, he can also drive me crazy.  But, life with Matthew is certainly not boring.

He supports me and loves me.   He makes me laugh.  I trust him.

And not only do I love him, but I like him.

"Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love."

Happy Anniversary and Happy Birthday, Dahling!

These photos are from our trip to Portugal last year which you can read about here.

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