RELAXING IN TRINIDAD

Mare and I moan in delight upon entering our luxurious Hyatt Hotel room that overlooks the Gulf of Paria in Port of Spain, Trinidad. We slip into hotel robes, crack some Carib beer, and then sit on our private balcony where we stare at silent cargo ships. Today is...

Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro

A prostitute kisses me as I walk out of the grocery store holding bags in both hands. For a moment, her greasy lipstick soothes my sun-chapped lips. She sticks her hand in my pocket. “Call me,” she says before disappearing into the crowd. I set down my bags and feel...

Jericoacoara: You Can Call Me Jeri

Just my luck…we nickname this man, “You for Scuba,” from the movie, “Along Came Polly.” Mare has yet to see his face, hidden by long locks of bronze hair draping down his brown chest and ending just above his six-pack. Oh yes, he sells the white-tissue clothing that...

Leaving Venezuela: Back to Brasil

We wake with slight headaches, after a celebratory night full of good-byes to our new friends. While sharing breakfast with Ben, from the Netherlands, (I don‘t mention coffee houses) our host, Eric gets called away on an emergency. He summons a helicopter to rescue a...

Descending Mt. Roraima

We climb down the steep part of the mountain in several small groups. Moving slowly to ensure each other’s safety, the bond we form as a group we call the “Dream Team” continues to amaze me. I mean, with such a large group under some stressful circumstances, there are...