Malta Bene!

A question I get quite often on the topic of travel is "Where is your favorite place you've traveled to?" I always hem and haw on the answer ("Albania was unexpectedly beautiful", "China was the most challenging yet most rewarding", and "Malaysia and Indonesia (excluding Bali) were cheap, not overly touristy, and had wonderful things to see"). Favorite is so unspecific (favorite moment, site, food, event, etc.). But I know it's just meant to be an opening into a conversation, so I've made my peace with it. And now, I feel like I can add Malta to my hemming and hawing.

Malta is awesome, at least for me at this time of year with the itinerary I've stumbled into. (I suspect Malta is quite often awesome, but caveats.) I've had the most lovely week exploring this tiny island nation. As always, I had done very little research beforehand so only vaguely knew what to expect. Luckily, so many of my travel desires were checked that I'm super glad I threw the dart here!

In no particular order, here are some highlights:
  • Prices here are very reasonable with my hotel rooms (with bathroom) averaging ~€33/night (half of which included a free breakfast!)
  • Public transportation is awesome, accessing virtually all parts of the country easily, used by locals* and travelers alike, and, again, cheap (€25 for a week unlimited pass)
  • Plenty of highlight sites (churches, cliffs, historic ruins*, ancient walled cities, salt pans)
  • Plenty of standard European-style "I can't believe I just stumbled onto this" stuff (statues, plazas, fountains, narrow winding alleys)
  • The Lower Barrakka Gardens in Valletta blew my mind! It felt straight out of Game of Thrones or something.
  • The weather has been perfectly ideal, with warm days and cool nights. I can only imagine how hot it gets in the summer, but for now, it's perfect.

Adding to its place on my favorites contender list are some total flukes of coincidence that have only just added to the overall experience. Yesterday, for example, happened to be the feast day for a local saint so there were marching bands, parades, church bells, and fireworks around every turn. Then, this morning on my way to get a geocache (which turned out to be awesome), an old man handed me some delicious mandarins he just picked from his tree. Or on my first night in Victoria, I saw the nightly migration of the sparrows to their roosting trees and then happened to be at the Citadel* for an amazing sunset.

I very much realize that every travel experience I have is unique—a different person, a different time, a different turn on the random corner could lead to a totally different experience. But if you're looking to increase your chances of having a great experience, I'd suggest thinking about Malta in the off season!

(For posterity, continuity, and completeness, I will mention that prior to my spectacular week in Malta, I explored Berlin and Potsdam for 5 days. I enjoyed myself and did what I was supposed to do (see the wall, get a jumping photo, make bad jokes, and take a photo or two), but without this little side trip, I might have come home a little underwelmed. No offense Germany, oh homeland of mine, but try and be more like Malta.)
Tuesday February 6 2024File under: travel, Malta

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Financial Recap of Europe 2022-23

Like I do, here is a recap of the cost of my recent trip to Europe. Overall, it was more expensive (per day) than many of my trips (for reasons we'll touch on below), but still quite reasonable. I share it here not only as an entry into this ever-growing data repository of my life, but also to perhaps be* helpful to others who might be looking to travel and want tangible financial data to help inform them.

A few notes before we get to data:
  • Money was harder to track this trip than previous ones. For one, Della and I used to keep a dedicated financial journal with every penny we spent traveling. I was tempted to bring that same journal with me this trip but feared losing or ruining it. As a result, my records are less precise.
  • Also adding to the "harder to track" column was this was the first trip I relied so heavily on my credit card. Bopping between 5 different currencies made this much more convenient. Online booking of lodging which I sometimes used PayPal with also led to more dispersed records.
  • I actively tried to penny pinch less on this trip, occasionally treating myself to hotels instead of hostels, public transit instead of walking, and indulging in food opportunities more than I have. That said, I'm still a super cheapo, but I'm less of a cheapo than I used to be.
  • For purposes of categorization, I split up the 7-day Danube cruise ($825 total) into lodging->45%, food->30%, transportation->15%, and entertainment->10%. This was the easily largest expense of the trip (outside airfare), accounting for ⅓ of [non-airfare] costs yet only being ⅙ of time. (I'm still glad I did it, though.)

Flights$1233Seattle->Krakow, Prague->London, London->Seattle. Had I bought a simple rountrip, I could have shaved $500+ off the cost, but the flexibility one-ways give was desirable this time around*
Lodging$83213 nights with a room to myself (average $45/nt), 9 nights in free volunteer dorms, leaving 15 nights in shared hostels (average $16/nt).
Food$750Average ~$22.5/day when accounting for board provided when volunteering. That number probably skews high from cruise portion of food. Also of note, very few hostels/hotels had included breakfast.
Long Distance Travel (excluding flights)$270Trains/buses around Europe, portion of cruise (as noted above), ½ of my bike rental (with the other half going in entertainment)
Short Distance Travel$55Public transport, including to/from airport state-side, 3 all-day passes (Vienna, Budapest, Prague), Heathrow->London round trip ($15!), etc.
Entertainment, etc.$450Stonehenge, Vienna circus, cinemas, castles/museums, salt mines, other ½ of bike rental, souvenirs, postcards/stamps, cruise entertainment portion, public baths
Other$50Money exchange fees, public toilets, leftover currency, laundry
Total$3640

Like I mentioned at the top, the per day cost of this trip (~$93) was higher than many trips ($65/day for Camino/Africa 2021, $96/day for both Della and I combined for Indonesia 2019, $70/day for a transatlantic cruise/Portugal/Morocco 2013). I suppose when you account for inflation, less penny pinching, and the not having the travel partner "discount"*, it's not too bad. And for what I got—6 weeks in Europe, a chance to volunteer, a cruise down the Danube, some perspective on my life, a much needed escape—it's a bargain.
Sunday January 29 2023File under: travel, data

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Today I...

Throughout this trip, I kept a simple travel journal (available here), mostly about the day to day events, record of costs, etc. Its main purpose was for me to have some way of summarizing and remembering my day, kind of like sharing how your day was with your partner. I feel so grateful that so many people followed along with the journal (which, had I known, I might have put a little more effort into spicing it up!). But for those who didn't (and for lazy me of the future that wants to know generally what I did during the trip), I put together this calendar of sorts. The note and photo about the day aren't meant to necessarily be the highlight nor a summary of the day, just something notable.


Thursday January 19 2023File under: travel, europe

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Biking Vienna to Budapest

Ever since I heard about the EuroVelo system of bike paths across Europe, I felt like I needed to check it out. I didn't know how or when, but it seemed like a good fit for me. As I do most of my travel in Europe's winter, I thought it might be a bit of a pipe dream. After all, who likes pedaling in rain, snow, and freezing temperatures? I somewhat put it in the back of my mind until...

During my Christmas cruise down the Danube, after the weather went from sub-freezing to just at or above freezing, I found myself eying the pleasantly paved paths that line much of the Danube thinking, "Maybe this could actually work!" A quick peek at the weather forecast once the cruise ended, and it was decided; I was going to do some biking!

No less than an hour after disembarking the ship, I found a place to rent a bike (a big shoutout to Vienna Explorer for 1) being open while everywhere else seemed to be closed 2) having just the right package for me (1-week of rental with helmet, lock, panniers, and tool kit), and 3) being super super nice and supportive!). The cost came to $135, just under $20/day.

EuroVelo 6 passes through Vienna so I had the choice of heading east or west. Going west would keep me mostly in Austria (the most expensive country I'd visited yet) but going east would take me back to where I just was on the cruise. The foriegness (and cheapness) of Slovakia and Hungary won out so I headed east!

As a consequence of doing very little research*, the actuality of the trip differed from my imagination of it. I was picturing a clear, smooth, wide path along the Danube the whole way. While some of it was like that, maybe 40-50%, 20-30% was on less ideal paths (sidewalks, less even surfaces, or sometimes unpaved tracks). The rest was on roads, probably evenly split between very few cars making for a lovely ride and not overly enjoyable because cars are more frequent and go fast. Those percentages might have skewed more favorable had the signage been a bit better so I didn't get lost as much and I wasn't in the offseason so facilities (hotels, ferries, etc.) were open and operating. But even as it was, EuroVelo 6 between Vienna and Budapest was a very pleasant ride.

Another "didn't fully think it through" consequence was the state of my body. Sure I ride a bike at home. I sometimes even ride 10 miles in a go, usually in less than an hour. So having a full 24 hours to ride 30-40 miles for 4 or 5 days in a row? That should be easy, right? Easy? No. It was doable, but at a cost. My legs (quads, specifically) really turned to jelly by the end of the day. I found myself cursing hostel keepers for putting me in a 4th floor walk-up room. But that was the good kind of hurt, the kind that makes it feel like you're getting stronger. My "sit bones", however, were a different kind of hurt. By the end of the day, esp. when I ended up on less than smooth pavement, I would audibly yelp when I hit a bump.

In the end, I covered the ~180 miles to Budapest in 4 days, quicker than I anticipated, but mostly because I had a hard time finding hotels where and when I needed them (leading to cycling much longer than I wanted at the end of the day). I could have kept going because I had the bike for another 3 days, but my body told me to maybe chill. So I ended up taking the train back to Vienna and using the bike to get around the city which greatly increased my appreciation of the place! And it only took a day or two of rest before my "sit bones" were no worse for wear!

Very often while in the saddle, I found myself comparing the experience to that of the Camino last year. There were just so many similarities: physically taxing, off season, loneliness, motivation, diet (grocery store meat and cheese FTW). And just like the Camino, while I can't say that I had the best time ever, I am really glad I did it. It was where I was meant to be.

I think with better planning (esp. in regards to not pushing myself so hard) in a less off-season, a long bike trip could be a really good trip for me, though I don't imagine I'll put it at the top of my list. I've done Europe 2 years in a row now, and there's so much of the world still to be seen. But, like I said, I'm glad it's a thing that I've done.

Saturday January 7 2023File under: travel, europe

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Recap of Danube Cruise

To some people, "cruise" is 4 letter word. I often find myself evangelizing to often bewildered people, as I'm not the type. And while I do understand many of the downsides of cruises that the nay-sayers say, I typically find the positives outweigh the downsides. But there's a whole other post in that. There's probably another complete post weighing the difference of ocean cruises to river cruises too, but that's not why we're here. We're here to recap my Christmas cruise on the Danube River.

The itinerary was simple, 7 days basically going from Vienna to Budapest and back with a few stops along the way, notably Bratislava and less notably Melk, Durnstein, and Esztergom* In between "ports", there were maybe two 3/4 days of sailing where we could watch the shore go by. Mostly, though, they did a good job of motoring along while we were sleeping so time in the cities were optimized.

You've heard me rave about cruises before and I'm afraid that won't be the case here. It's not that there was anything bad about this trip, but it had a few strikes against it that weren't its fault. But before we get into the downsides, let's highlight the good!

The Good
  • I loved docking right in the middle of the cities. I was out walking around the cities' main squares within 10 minutes of leaving breakfast (vs. on an ocean cruise, the port is often logisticially difficult to get to and from.) Also, since our destinations were so close together, we'd leave a town in the morning and be to a new one after lunch.
  • The crew was really really great. They were almost all Ukrainian and they were just the right mix of respectfully distant and engaging*.
  • My room had a view(!) albeit a small one. But having natural light makes a huge difference vs. the closet you sometimes feel like you're in on an ocean cruise ship.
  • The food will fall into both the good and the bad categories. On the good side, the meals were really top notch, with fancy plating, WAY too much silverware, and 3 options for every meal (in addition to soup, salad, and dessert). Rack of lamb, borscht, seafood pasta, roast duck, pasta bolognese—not a bad selection at all. Plus the portion sizes were pretty small (or, as I like to call them, normal person sized) so it kept me from overeating too much. Also, the breakfast buffet was quite nice.
  • The crew, again, did a great job making Christmas feel special, with extra little touches like origami napkins in the shape of Santa's boot, christmas cookie decorating class, and a free drink with Christmas dinner.
  • The itinerary was really great. Being able to see Vienna, Budapest, and Bratislava without having to pack and move hotels was great. The three little cathedral towns were a great counterpoint to the big cities, too. And the shores along the Danube were very pleasant to watch drift by.

Let it be said that I don't hold the "bads" against Crucemundo, the crew of the MS Fidelio, or anything. It's more just an observation on my experience that I want to share and also capture for the next time I'm thinking of cruising.

The Bad
  • Cruising alone isn't very much fun, at least for me. Traveling alone in general doesn't suit me, but cruising esp. feels like being at a couples dance stag. There were 4 of us solo English speakers (2 Brits, one Australian) that they stuck at a table together and we made the best of it: checking in about people's plans, building a repport, etc. But for me, I'd rather be non-solo. Or maybe it just really made me miss Della.
  • The amenities on a river cruise are necessarily less than its bigger ocean partner. No performance halls, mini-golf, pools, cafes tucked everywhere, spas, nor multiple eating options (notably no buffet).
  • The cost (more of a breakdown later) was roughly twice per day the most expensive ocean cruise Della and I ever took. Again, this is merely an economy of scale issue and you'd be hard pressed to find a river cruise for what I paid for this. But when looked at it side-by-side, it feels worth noting.
  • While the food was great, it definitely lacked a lot of the flexibility I have experienced on previous cruises. Dinner was at a specific time as opposed to an open buffet. There were just 3 options, always one fish, one meat, and one veg. And if something was good, you couldn't get more. And you couldn't not get something you knew you wouldn't eat (I'm looking at you, brussel sprouts.) And there was nothing except tea and coffee for between meals and late night snacking.
The cost breakdown is this: I came across this as a "Black Friday Deal", at more than 50% off. The original advertised price was $450 which, in terms of river cruises, is very good. After taxes, port fees, single supplement, and tips, it came to more like $835(!). Additionally throughout the week, I spent maybe $20 on public transportation, museum entry, and maybe a postcard or two. Again, while good for a river cruise, much better per day rates can be found on ocean cruises.

Overall, I'm glad I went. While not something I would necessarily glowingly recommend to someone, I had a good time and it was a pleasant way to spend my Christmas. It also gave me an idea of what river cruises are like, so if the occasion arises again, I will have a basis for comparison. It definitely added to the texture of my Europe 2022/23 trip and for that I'm grateful.
Sunday January 1 2023File under: travel, cruise

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A Few Days In Poland

Ever since last year's visit to Spain, I've found myself with Europe on the mind. Something about the old buildings, pedestrian-forward cities, reasonable prices (at least in Spain), newness but with some familiarity—whatever it was sat and stewed in my mind all year. So when it came time to plan this year's travels, I cast my gaze eastward.

First stop on the tourist part of the trip (as opposed to the semi-productive volunteer portion of the trip as seen below), was Poland. While I did get a chance to peek around the small city of Jaroslaw in the southeast, Krakow was the majority of my Polish experience. And, I have to say, it was exactly the blast of Europe that I was hoping for! There were castles, narrow streets, bustling squares, cheap food, ease (and pleasantness!) of transit, and so much more.

In Krakow, I did most of what I was "supposed" to: I saw the fabled salt mines (super interesting in concept and history, slightly less so in practice (esp. when the requisite tour guide had a thick enough access that I only caught every other word)), I toured Wawel castle (I was hoping for more castle-y stuff and less in the way of a medieval art museum, but not bad), I spent a ton of time in the main square complete with its huge Christmas market. After much consideration and talking to many people that did it, I skipped the Auschwitz tour.

But mostly I did what I do: wander. I logged many miles walking through the snow, slush, and ice just taking it all in. I usually try to set a mission for the day to guide me (find pierogis, for example), but mostly I just tried to keep myself occupied. After all, staying occupied is half the reason I'm traveling in the first place. And I'm pleased to say, so far, I've been mostly successful. Thanks Poland for keeping me occupied!


Friday December 23 2022File under: travel, Poland

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Europe 2022 Travelogue

Personally, chronological, laundry-list style travelogues never super appealed to me as a reader. Maybe its just because I like doing better than reading about others doing. So I've always tried to make my travel blog posts over the years a little more varied with topic specific observations, photo-heavy descriptions off a place, or a particular anecdote that I could see telling someone when asked "how was your trip".

I diverged severely from this format last year for my time on the Camino, with a straight travel journal of what I ate, where I was, what I spent, etc. Surprisingly to me, it was very well received, though perhaps more because of the uniqueness and import of the adventure than because of its style. But perhaps more importantly than how well it was received was how valuable writing it was to me. Not having someone to share the adventure with left me lots to say and no outlet. Closing down my evening with capturing thoughts and feelings as well as facts and figures became a favorite part of my day.

With that in mind, I've decided to chronicle this year's Europe trip (starting with volunteering in Poland, then onto a Christmas cruise down the Danube, then hopefully further European adventures) in a similar manner. While I anticipate less chronicle-worthy daily activities than the Camino (volunteering on a construction site might be a lot of "I painted all day again" posts), creating and having a record of my time and sharing that with whomever cares feels right.


Thursday December 8 2022File under: travel, europe

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Bates 20 Year Reunion

Whenever it comes up (which is more often than you might think), I always encourage people to go to their school reunions. The idea is usually met with resistance or downright contempt. The reasons offered up are not invalid, but, in my opinion, outweighed by the positives (memories, networking, self-reflection, good food, and more.) In the end, however, I relent, knowing that we all gotta follow our hearts. When my college reunion rolled around, though, you better believe I was going to attend.

Bates College in Lewiston, Maine is not exactly on the way to many places I go, so it's been 10 years since I've been back to campus. I sometimes forget how beautiful it is, with so much brick, ivy, history, and, of course, memories. Just walking around campus was worth the trip out east itself. "Hey, I used to live there", "The meal hall cereal bar!!!", and "This was where the frisbee golf course teed off from!" were bubbling through my head. I enjoyed the simple walk down memory lane almost more than anything else the whole weekend.

Of course the college went all out, from a lobster dinner to steel pan bands on the quad to beer gardens, mimosa brunches, and winery dinners*. There were banners everywhere, plenty of photo ops with the Bates Bobcat, and golf cart shuttles to take you anywhere on campus you wanted to go*. And, as luck would have it, we had absolutely perfect weather. I hope Bates came away feeling like it was a successful weekend because they did a great job.

Obviously the other part of a reunion is reconnecting with classmates. Despite my encouragement, none of my core group of friends choose to make the trip (even though, in all cases except Horge, the distance and effort was considerably less). That left me mingling with people I knew in passing 20 years ago with the occasional shared memory, but no genuine excitement to reconnect. That said, however, even with less than close connections both back then and in between, everyone was super nice, engaging, and inclusive. They let me tell my "yes, I juggle for my job" and "just north of Seattle" stories and took them with a smile. And hearing about their lives, my peers from so long ago, was genuinely interesting as well—lots of professionals with families and kids*. Unfortunately, it turns out my former classmates haven't lost any of their enthusiasm for heavy drinking, so I turned in early rather than being able to enjoy more connecting and socialization, but so goes the life of a teetotaler, I guess.

Just below the surface, in almost all elements of my life still, are thoughts of Della. The last time I visited Bates was with her on our first big adventure as partners. And talking about the last 10 (or 20) years of my life is simply impossible without her being a part of every story. My friends that knew of the situation via facebook surprised me with unpromptedly sharing such genuine condolences and making me feel really supported, which meant more than I could even express. Having these thoughts of Della so close to the surface all weekend seemed to fit with the theme of reliving memories and I was happy to embrace that (albeit with sometimes less than dry eyes).

Another, and perhaps equally important for my desire to attend the reunion, was non-Bates Maine. I looked for jobs here after graduation because it is a place that very much agrees with me. I had time before and after my campus visit to soak up some Down East vibes from a ferry ride to Peaks Island to the requisite lobster roll from a roadside stand. I was lucky to have good friends host and guide me and the vacation bit of the trip was a total success.

It's not everyday that a 20-year college reunion comes around. Not that there was much of a chance that I would have skipped it, and in hindsight, I'm really happy I didn't. Memories, perspective, new experiences, scratching that lobster itch—it was a successful weekend for sure. Perhaps keep that thought in mind next time a reunion opportunity presents itself to you.
Sunday June 12 2022File under: travel, Maine

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Financial Recap of the Camino and Africa

On of the things that I do upon returning from a trip (besides looking through photos and sharing stories IRL) is to wrap my head around the costs of the trip. This helps me see the big picture, after so much attention paid to whether that albergue is worth €2 more than this one or if I'm the kind of guy that pays for taxis rather than taking public transport. And I really like knowing. So without further ado, here's what my recent trip to do the Camino de Santiago and then some R&R time in Africa cost.

Camino
de Santiago
[1] all money spent between arriving to Saint-Jean-Pied-a-Port until leaving Santiago [2] averages calculated over 34 days [3] money was spent and recorded in euros so ATM fees and conversion calculations create slight margin of error
Sleeping$525$15.50/night averageAlbergues averaged $12.25/night but my 6 nights (2 along the trail, 4 in Santiago) in solo rooms (averaging $30/night) upped it a bit
Food$540$16/day averageGranted, I lost 20 pounds partially from skipping many many meals so most people probably had a higher food cost than this.
Other$59$1.75/day averageMost days, I had no Other costs at all. Examples of this were postcards/stamps, entertainment (cinema/museums), souvenirs. This, I think, is definitely anomalous, as I was there just to walk, not do stuff.
Total$1100$33.25/day average


Africa
Senegal/Gambia
[1] all money spent between arriving in Dakar, Senegal until leaving Banjul, Gambia[2] averages calculated over 17 days [3] ATM fees and money conversion costs might add ~3% to these numbers.
Sleeping$367$21.50/night averageA few of the hotels came with a free breakfast, which is worth noting (as that would skew the balance of food to sleeping ratio). Also of note, I did splurge on a $55 hotel which skews the average a bit
Food$237$14/day averageThis includes not only meals, but snacks and beverages which includes bottled water, a daily expense. ?Also worth noting, it includes a lot of shrimp :)
Transportation$106$6.25/day averageThis doesn't include flights to and from. It is mostly a lot of taxis, both intra and interurban with a boat ride or two thrown in. Also of note, Senegal's transportation costs were quite a bit higher than Gambia's, though mostly because the distances travelled were much higher
Other$120$7/day average$50 of this was a COVID test required to fly back to Europe and $20 for a visa, which essentially means only $3/day for things like cinema, national parks, museums, etc. I mostly just walked around, ate, and looked at stuff.
Total$830$49/day averageAs always, average cost per day during travel is so much a factor of how much you move around and how long you say (allowing the 1 time costs like visas, covid tests, etc. to be more distributed)

Flights[1]all one-way flights [2] almost always found via skyscannet.net
Seattle to Pamplona$450This was bought somewhat last minute (3 weeks out?) so a better price could easily have been achieved.
Santiago to Dakar$455I had my Madrid to Banjul ($260) cancelled not long before departure (due to Morocco totally shutting down, where I was to layover) so had to scramble this together piecemeal
Banjul to Seville$237Middle of the night flight that ended up getting delay which caused me to miss a connection, but still a pretty good price
Seville to Chicago$318I was surprised (and proud) to find such a great deal from Europe to the States smack in the middle of the Christmas rush
Chicago to Bellingham$0 (on standby)It's good to have friends who work for airlines. But flying standby 1) during the holidays 2) when flights are cancelled left and right due to covid staff shortages and 3) when weather puts whole airports out of commission isn't advisable. I made it only by the skin of my teeth.
Total$1460From super far corner of the US to small town in Spain to Africa to Spain then back to the US, all one-way flights, all bought last minute-ish, I think that's not bad. Yeehaw for skyscanner.net and lots and lots of searching time.

OtherAll the in between costs that did not make it into one of the above tables
Spanish COVID test$45Require 1 day before re-entering the US, so even though I had one from 2 days previous, another one was necessary. And the cost was more than it might have been because it was a Sunday (Spain's national day of everything being closed) and the day after Christmas.
Hostel in Chicago$32My fancy flying had me layover in Chicago for the night so I grabbed a cheap hostel via hostelworld.com. They falsely advertised the price so the cost was higher than I had bargained for. Please don't use their service as unethical businesses don't deserve support. The hostel, Found Hotel, was complicit so should be avoided as well.
Taxi from Pamplona to
Saint-Jean-Pied-a-Port
$109This is an expense that could be avoided/minimized if I wasn't doing the camino in the off season (as there is a cheap bus that makes the trip)
Other other$45Food at airports, minor costs at my 2-day Christmas in Jerez, Spain, etc.
Total$231

In grand total, I spent $3,621 which comes out to about $65/day all inclusive. I'd say that's a small price to pay to have an experience of a life time that gave me new perspectives on myself (the Camino) and a glimpse into how others live in a totally different part of the world (Senegal/The Gambia), not to mention a long overdue visit with a college friend (Jerez, Spain).

(P.S. I know that travel is about more than doing it as cheaply as possible. And I know that caring less about money while traveling is something I need to work out. This analysis is a tool to help me do that. And I would have said more about all that, but this post is long enough as it is.)
Sunday January 9 2022File under: travel, data

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Wrestling With Wealth Inequality In The Gambia

Almost anyone who has traveled to a developing nation has likely been confronted with the glaring wealth inequality between the US and wherever they are traveling. It is evident in so many ways: poor infrastructure, unavailability of goods and services, interactions with everyday people, and so much more. And while wealth inequality is evident in the US too, it somehow feels much more prevalent in so many countries I've visited.

Take The Gambia: according to a recent article in Global Finance Magazine, The Gambia ranks as the 16th poorest country in the world, even poorer than Haiti and Sudan. The U.S. is 7th richest with almost 30 times more per person, based on GDP and purchasing power parity. When you factor in the severe drop in tourism due to COVID-19, it puts a country that has not an insignificant reliance on tourism like The Gambia in an even tougher position.

A Turkish power generation boat serves electricity to much of coastal
Gambia because the local infrastructure is under developed.
 
This wealth inequality was one of the factors that help me choose where I'm going to travel to. Hawaii doesn't need my money. Nor, in the recent case of me needing a rest after the Camino, does Ibiza or the Canary Islands. I figured while although the travels of Wren don't equal status quo changing amounts, every dollar I spend in a place like the Gambia or Senegal (34th poorest nation) is a dollar that otherwise wouldn't get added to the economy. And yes, not every penny of that dollar (or every butut of that dalasi, as the case may be) stays here (I do occasionally buy a snickers, Coke, or other American product in a pinch), but I figure a non-zero amount makes it into the hands of a Gambian and that I count as a win.

So it is with all this in the back of my head that I toddle along on my African journey. I try my best to eat at local restaurants, stay at hotels/guesthouses that are owned by a person not a corporation, and not over-haggle. And even though it is counter to the habits I've spent a lifetime forming, I try to use the wealth inequality argument to splurge a little, maybe a couple fresh juices here or a cab ride instead of bus there.

Enza and me with some delicious ice cream from Ice Land.
 
In the last couple days, however, this consideration has come to the foreground. My daily routine involves quite a bit of walking and on these walks, I'm always approached by tour guides, taxi drivers, or market stall owners asking for my business. Since I'm rarely in need of their services, I instead take some time to answer their questions* and generally try to change the interaction from one of me feeling looked upon as a possible sale and little more to one where we are two people having a genuine conversation. It works maybe half the time. When it works, however, it can lead to some really great moments.

The Gambian people are super nice. They don't call it the Smiling Coast for no reason. So I've had some really nice conversations, often hearing about the toll the pandemic is taking on people's lives and livelihoods. Last night, as I meandered the town looking for some dessert, a shop owner fell in beside me with the usual. After sharing a bit about an earlier negative experience I had with a local tour guide hustler, our interaction transitioned to a truly genuine one. He told me a lot about his life and esp. the finances of it (how much a bag of rice has gone up since the new president took power, how much it costs to send his brothers and sisters to school, how much medicine can cost when you get sick, how it is his job to support his mother and family yet he goes days without a sale at his shop). He ended up joining me the whole 2 mile walk to the ice cream shop where we continued our conversation the good stuff. On the way home, he introduced me to his mother. It was nice. I plan to swing by his shop later to at least have a look.

I always love riding in a tuk-tuk, even if I could have just as easily walked.
 
I wish I had some greater revelation re: this issue of wealth inequality viewed through the lens of travel besides hoping my meager travel budget is a drop in the bucket of what's needed. And I guess the mere act of being here and having my eyes further opened to the realities of that wealth inequality is something, esp. as it will be part of the story I tell about my time here. But with only <2 days left until I leave, perhaps I should just post this and head out and try and spend a bit more money. There's a fresh juice stand on the beach calling my name.
Wednesday December 22 2021File under: travel, Gambia

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