When most people say they’re flying to California they tend to be excited about spending time in big cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco.
For me, the first thing I did when I arrived in San Diego was head for the Colorado Desert. The desert is actually in Mexico and California – south of the Mojave Desert and considered part of the Sonora Desert.
Colorado Desert - A Creosote Bush and Canyon View in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Geography lesson aside, the Colorado Desert is a low-lying desert. It’s dry and shrubby. Not many big cacti in this part of the desert. There is plenty to see though!
A Barrel Cactus in the Colorado Desert, California
Most of my time in the Colorado Desert was spent in Anza Borrego Desert State Park. As California’s largest state park, there was a lot to explore. The wildflowers weren’t out yet, as I arrived in late winter, but I still found the odd looking plants quite interesting.
The only Wildflowers I could find in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
As I continued east from San Diego, through the park I eventually came in sight of Borrego Springs. Nestled amongst the mountains Borrego Springs proclaims itself as California’s Secret Desert.
If you judge it by the odd desert sculptures that greet you as you approach the village, then you don’t doubt you’ve entered some sort of strange desert oasis.
A Woolly Mammoth Sculpture near Borrego Springs in the Colorado Desert
As alluring as those rusty sculptures and looming mountains were, I resisted spending much time in Borrego Springs, as I found the desert itself interesting enough. Wide washes that had been previously flooded were countered by deep canyons and the rocky cliffs would be spattered with pockets of colour, creating a nice visual as I passed through the State Park.
A Spider-like Cactus in the Colorado Desert, California
If you like wide-open spaces and big skies this is a perfect place for camping only a few hours from San Diego. But, if you’re like me, you may want to drive a little further northeast to the edge of the Colorado Desert and into the Mojave Desert to check out Joshua Tree National Park.
When I think of all the meals I enjoyed in Turkey, one stands out above all the rest.
I’m not as much of a ‘foodie’ as many other travellers, but I’ll admit Turkey was one of the most surprising gastronomic destinations I’ve visited. Of all the great meals I enjoyed there, Iskender is the only one I still often have cravings for.
Hello Mr. Vendor in Istanbul, your food looks tasty but it isn't Iskender.
Yes, I had snacks, fresh Baklava and Turkish Delights from the markets in Istanbul. I enjoyed some seafood feasts while sailing on the Mediterranean. I had some savoury, home made Gozleme in Selcuk too…but Iskender beats them all.
Even the Testi Kebap in Goreme – cooked in a clay pot that you get to break – couldn’t beat Iskender.
A box of the best Turkish Delight treats from Haci Beker...still not as good as Iskender
What is Iskender?
You can find Iskender variations around the country, but the birthplace of the original (and best) Iskender dates back to the 19th century in Bursa. Created by İskender Efendi, it is a mouth-watering mix of strips of meat (generally lamb or beef), tomato, hot pepper, yogurt and fresh pita bread.
The one and only official Iskender, enjoyed in Bursa, Turkey
What brings it all together, creating the tastiest meal in Turkey, is that it is topped off by pouring a bubbling hot butter mixture over the plate, which mixes all the flavours together. It might not look pretty, but it is sweet music for your stomach.
Where to eat Iskender
Be warned, there are many knock-off Iskender kebab versions out there, which are frequently done quite poorly. The mix of ingredients and boiling butter are a must and the only way to guarantee you’re dining on the official Iskender is to visit one of their restaurants.
Historic family photos on the wall at the original Iskender Restaurant in Bursa
The original Iskender restaurant is a small blue corner restaurant that still exists in Bursa. This is where I first had Iskender, but they have a handful of locations in Turkey now. As it is the only meal they serve, it’s fixed price dining and you know it will be done perfectly. The family that runs the Iskender restaurants are descendants of it’s creator, so it is a proud family tradition.
Complimentary Turkish Coffee comes with your fixed price Iskender meal
They take the Iskender meal so seriously that they actually have a series of patents and trademarks protecting their name and the way they serve and prepare their Iskender meals! Kebapçı İskender is their official name and the name of the restaurants you want to find. You can also find their newer Iskender Ekspres locations, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice by taking the fast-food route.
Raise your hand if you’re reliant on your vehicle’s GPS.
My GPS - The National Geographic Road Atlas - Adventure Edition
Shame on you.
I hate to say I know people who drive the same route to work every day but always program their GPS to guide them there. Drivers have lost their sense of adventure and built-in navigation abilities. Is your GPS really ruining you? I doubt it, but it is likely doing a good job at sucking the sense of adventure out of you.
I’ve seen way too many people panic when their GPS does something they don’t expect, it’s like we’ve stopped being able to think for ourselves. Who can enjoy a drive where every minute and second is ticked away by a GPS? If you miss a turn, what is the worst thing that can happen? Your GPS won’t explode and the road won’t turn into a car-eating lava monster.
It seems there is a GPS in almost every car now. I remember the first time I saw one, someone told me they had it only in case they got lost somewhere. Great! It was a back-up to their own driving skills. I don’t know when it changed…not long ago, but it seems that the GPS has taken centre stage as drivers get lazier and lazier. I don’t have a car GPS, nor have I ever paid for one in a rental car. I don’t plan to either.
The GPS-less Road Trip
I encourage everyone to turn off their GPS and try to remember how much fun driving can be. My GPS is a National Parks book from National Geographic, an Ontario Road Map and an odometer. Yep – old school. Sure, if you have a high profile meeting on a business trip I get the need for being on time and using a GPS. There is a time and place for every bit of technology – I just think the GPS is ruining road trips.
Why no GPS?
For car rentals, it’s a waste of money. You can pay for dinner with how much they charge you for daily GPS use. Plus – secret tip – if you rent from a big chain like National or Hertz, the GPS will likely be installed in the car anyway, meaning it is often available to use for free.
Random Road in New Zealand. No GPS Required - Just head for the Mountains
How do I know that? Well, I’ll admit that I have tried the GPS that was included in some of my rental cars – but I’ve never paid for it.
Second, for any vehicle, I prefer to listen to the sounds of the road, chat with other passengers or listen to some music while on a road trip, not the beeps and voice of a GPS.
But, what if I get lost?
I do get lost. You will probably get lost without a GPS too. But, so what? That is part of the fun of road trips and part of what makes looking at a map exciting. Unlike a simple GPS, you can look at a map and see that in 20 miles or 30 kilometres, the road you’re on will intersect another road. You can see the ‘big picture’ of your road trip and change plans on the fly. So you don’t have to know exactly where you are at that moment, you just need to know where you want go next.
So Many Choices...Every Road leads to Adventure
The worst thing you can do on a road trip is treat it like a race to the office to beat rush hour traffic, or a panicked drive to get to your gym class on time. Allow yourself some freedom. If you need to schedule things out, then schedule a few hours for doing nothing – because something always comes up.
Now, I am not saying to lose total control and end up in a ditch on a rural road somewhere. Just have a map in your car in case you do get lost, or use your car GPS or smart phone GPS if you have an emergency.
How will I know where I am going?
Well, remember that anywhere there are roads the sun will rise in the east and set in the west. If you know you need to head south, then it should be easy to figure out what general direction you need to drive. Highways and freeways are usually labelled north, south, east and west too, convenient huh?
Four Great National Parks - Pick a Road and Start Driving...
Plus, how does your GPS know where you’re going? Remember that your GPS can get lost too. What if it loses connection with a satellite? What if the map routes on your electronic device are out of date? If you’re going anywhere remote at all, have a backup plan that isn’t electronic – people have died because they blindly followed wrong directions given to them by their GPS!
Just try it on your next road trip. Put the digital tracking toys away and let your eyes, and a real paper map, guide you. Make a game of it even, take bets on how many times you’ll get lost or miss a turn. You may just be pleasantly surprised with what you discover when you’re lost and aren’t being controlled by a machine.
There is a wooden ship that took six years to build, by hand, deep in the Amazon jungle. That ship’s name is the Tocorimé Pamatojari, which means Adventurous Spirit.
Chilling out on the Tocorimé Pamatojari near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
I was lucky enough to sail on this great ship on a sun-soaked adventure along the coast of Brazil from Paraty to Rio de Janeiro.
Of all the boats I’ve been on – big and small – the Tocorime is the only one that had a special aura to it. The dedication and hard work put into building such a beautiful ship, was amazing. For example – the keel of the ship is a massive piece of wood that was dragged through the Amazon jungle for more than 3.5 months – by 25 men!
Every day was filled with another bit of detail about the types of wood used in the ship, or how it was built. Everyone who worked on the ship seemed happy and proud to be connected to it in some way.
Wooden Idol on the Adventurous Spirit
It is a ship full of stories, of epic adventure. In a time when it seems every corner of the world has been explored and few real adventurers still exist, the story of the Tocorime shines bright.
The Tocorimé Pamatojari Tall Ship
What made it even more exciting was getting dirty and helping out by setting sails, taking the helm and assisting in navigation. As someone who had no sailing experience, I had no idea what to expect, but the crew was amazing and the time on the ship was special.
Sails are Hoisted, the Mast of the Tocorime Tall Ship
It would have been a great adventure even if I stayed on the ship for an entire week, but the benefit of being on a boat is that you can also visit remote villages that are inaccessible by road, or stop for a quick swim in the ocean.
Drinking Skol and Sailing the Ship in Brazil
From waterfall hikes to sleeping in a hammock under the stars, my time on the Tocorime is full of fond memories. If I were ever to become rich and have my own boat, I can imagine I’d want it to be something unique, with an adventurous spirit, like the Tocorime.
A Beach leading to the Mamangua hiking trail in Brazil
I can’t do justice to the Tocorime story myself, so if you’re curious to read more about Markus Lehmann and other people who built this ship in the Amazon, visit the website at http://www.tocorime.net
There is one animal I came across in Africa that gave me nightmares.
No, it wasn’t a lion, hippo, cobra or scorpion. I came across all of those and didn’t flinch. This was more of a wolf in sheep clothing type of scary creature, except it was a Dassie in Devil fur.
The cutely named Dassie has many aliases, probably because of it’s secret scariness. Rock Rabbit and Rock Rat are a couple of alternative names. You get the idea – they are furry things that mostly hang out around rocky outcrops.
In reality their official name is a Hyrax and along with Sea Cows (real name Dugongs) they’re the closest relatives on Earth to Elephants.
The ones I came across in Tanzania are Bush Hyrax, or Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax. Want to see one of these beasts? Are you sure? Ok, you’ve been warned…
A Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax in the Serengeti
Ya, ok. They even look cute. But it is just a disguise. Watch these evil creatures long enough and you’ll see another side to them.
When a mature Hyrax gets excited, a bump on their back starts to form…called a dorsal gland. This gland opens up, pushing fur to the sides, as if giving birth to some mutant life form. They move around oddly too, it’s all so strange that you expect their eyes to start glowing red and shoot laser beams at you. Well, at least that’s what happened in my nightmares.
Supposedly they only secrete some weird liquid or something, no actual aliens and it’s only done when they’re wanting to mate or are feeling threatened.
A 'cute' Dassie or Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax, getting ready to birth some aliens
Still, if you saw one of these things open up a crazy looking gland on it’s back you’d freak out too. I’ve saved you the horror of seeing the scariest photos…you can always use your friend Google if you dare.
