I often tell people not to worry too much about things going wrong on their trips: after all, those make the best stories. Not that this is much comfort at the time. Three years after one of my worse treks, I still groan as I remember some of the worse parts of our overland camping trip from Zimbabwe to Kenya. We met wonderful people and observed truly amazing wildlife but we have yet to forget (or forgive) the tour operator that provided the Safari from Hell.

Making an overland journey to Africa can be accomplished, for most people, only with the assistance of tour operators. And so, it was with great expectations of a trouble-free trip that we purchased a three-week overland tour of East Africa from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe to Nairobi, Kenya in 2007. The most important reasons for choosing an overland tour was to have a knowledgeable guide, safe and reliable transportation, and someone to arrange game drives and tours. more…

The preferred mode of transportation in many developing countries are tuk tuks. These noisy and shock-absorber-free vehicles vary in construction and in condition but they invariably offer the cheapest and sometimes – such as in heavy traffic – the fastest way to get around cities.

Cars are safer than tuk tuks, but they get stuck in traffic. Buses are cheaper, but they really get stuck in traffic. Motorcycles are faster – they don’t get stuck in traffic – but you can’t fit two passengers, their backpacks and a driver (contrary to what they tell you and what the locals actually will fit onto their motorcycles and scooters). more…

It’s time to plan your travels for the shoulder travel season – known in my home as the boomer travel season. Why? Well, most boomers no longer need to plan their vacations based on their children’s school calendars and so they can travel during the cheapest time of the year.

First, let me say that I’m sorry for all of you boomers who 1. Waited until later to have children or have children from subsequent marriages who are still in school; 2. Are school teachers (including two of my sisters and many of my friends); and/or 3. Are raising their grandchildren (a number of my friends). Your turn will come when you’ll be able to travel during the fall boomer travel season. more…

One of the hassles of getting wiser as you age is that nothing’s as black and white as it once was. Just because something is legal doesn’t make it moral or ethical and the opposite is also true. Travelers often face the dilemma of choosing whether or not to journey to destinations that present legal, moral or ethical challenges.

Some travelers will tell you they simply won’t let politics interfere with their enjoyment of a country and culture. But how can you visit an area knowing your money is supporting a regime that keeps its people enslaved through poverty, lack of education, health care and the basic needs of survival? more…

When you were a kid, your parents packed you in the back seat of the car and took you on vacation wherever they wanted the family to go. Unfortunately, it was often an eight-hour drive to Aunt Mildred’s or a two-day drive to the national park with dead things that was supposed to be educational.

As a teenager, maybe you got to visit the national capital with your history class or to go on tour with the band or track team. You packed in a lot of time on old school buses, cheap motels, stuffy museums, and hopefully snuck in an adventure or two.

Finally, when you became a young adult and the world was your oyster, you crossed the country by any means possible, made your way to foreign countries to explore other cultures, and kept going until forced to settle down to a regular job and, eventually, a family of your own. more…