Have time, will travel

Dear friends, if all goes according to plans (and the Big Boss knows it often does not) as of April 2012, I will be offering my services as a "Dame de Compagnie" for women travellers who would like to see the world but do not wish to venture on their own nor to go on the "It is Monday, this must be Paris" type of travel.
I have extensive experience travelling in Europe, Turkey, Morocco, India, and Central America. I speak French, Spanish, some German, and a bit of Hindi; I understand or can read a little Portuguese, Italian and Catalan. (And, obviously I speak English - in case this gets translated.)
I enjoy history, architecture, archaeology, different customs, reading, music; I will not go to bars; I am not looking for a man; I am therefore not interested in accompanying a traveller who is man-hunting. The main quality I need in a travel companion is a solid sense of humour. (You need it just to be with me.)
My travel style will be adapted to my companion's wishes and budget.
If you know anyone who is looking for such a service, and would like more information, please pass on this blog. thank you.

Bed and Breakfast in beautiful city of Cienfuegos, Cuba

My hosts Norma and Oswaldo could not have been more pleasant. As is often my luck when I travel solo, I received royal treatment on a small budget during my stay in this Unesco site nicknamed "The Pearl of the South".
Norma and Oswaldo's impeccable house is located one block off the Prado, about 3 minutes' walk down to the Malecon and 5 minutes walk up to the spectacular Parque Marti with its Colonial architecture

reminiscent of a more elegant age, including the Teatro Tomas Terry where the likes of Caruso and Sarah Bernhardt once performed, and many other buildings so delicious you want to wrap them up and put them in your pocket to enjoy them again later;


I could not have found a more inviting place to stay and more attentive hosts.

My room was impeccable and with a definite Cuban feel, and the newly renovated bathroom had lots of convenient hooks and shelves; hot water was available at all times. My room had air conditioning although I did not use it. In the alcove of my room, a small refrigerator was at my disposition and a stock of water, beer and soft drinks for me to purchase if I wished. Oswaldo and Norma's was the kind of house where I did not even lock my bedroom door so confident did I feel of my hosts' integrity.

As for the meals, they were worthy of a reputable restaurant and always beautifully presented, and at the hour I wished. I paid about $30. for bed and breakfast

and about $6. for a wonderful dinner of fish etc.

I enjoyed Cienfuegos so much that I ended up staying three days, although I had planned only on two.
The Pearl of the South is a great place to visit even for older travellers because it is flat and the sidewalks are not crowded. There are no touts or beggars. The malecon

leading to beautiful old mansions,

the Prado which runs for several blocks and is lined with benches, and where you will see Cubans rocking peacefully in the shade

and the pedestrian mall are perfect for strolling; this nostalgic Colonial city is well worth a visit. And if you don't feel like walking, a bicitaxista will take you around at your leisure for about $2. an hour.

If you know anyone going to Cuba who needs a nice, safe place to stay, here are the details:

Norma and Oswaldo, Hostal Soto, Avenida 40, #3712 (between Calle 37 and Calle 39)Cienfuegos, tel (01)(43)534596 email: delsol@ucm.cfg.sdl.cu (please put: "Para Norma por favor" in the subject line. (also, Norma or Oswaldo can accompany you from the airport or the bus if you wish; they can also offer their services to show you around; they speak a clear Spanish unlike some of the other Cubans.)This would be a perfect place for a novice solo traveller. ps. B & B's are called Casas Particulares in Cuba

Why me?

Have you ever asked yourself (or God; or whoever you talk to when you are alone) “Why me?” I ask myself that everyday when I wake up, everyday when I go to bed.

Why me?
Why do I have the privilege of waking up in a nice warm bed with clean sheets?
Why me?
Why do I have more to eat than I could every hope to need?
Why me?
Why am I healthy though I often don’t take good care of myself?
Why me?
Why do I have a nice husband, wonderful children, grandchildren, all beautiful and healthy?
Why me?
Why do I never have to worry about my financial security?
Why me?
Why do I still have my mother, in her late 80’s, healthy and with all her marbles?
Why me?
Why am I blessed with more friends than I can keep up with?
Why me?
Why was I born in a country where human rights are taken for granted?
Why me?
Why can I afford to travel, to spend my days as I like?
Why me?
Why was I given the ability to learn languages?
Why me?
Why do I have both arms, both legs, good eyesight, hearing…?
Why me?
Why do I have five wonderful sisters?
Why me?

Visit to my rickshaw wallah's home in Jaipur

A visit to someone's home in India has always been a wonderful experience for me. That day, I visited Papu's home. Papu is my rickshaw wallah in Jaipur. The family of five lives in one room; The kids sleep on roll-up mats and the couple share a single bed. There is one trunk that holds all their clothing. There is a washroom in the building for all the apartments (about 12) When I visited, Papu's wife offered chai, as all good Indian families would do, and they sent the chidren to buy some cookies for my chai. The whole neighbourhood came by to meet this strange white-haired lady; I was a real event in their neighbourhood. I had only a few words of Hindi then and so it made for a rather fun visit. The warmth of these people is absolutely legendary. I never feel lonely even when I am travelling alone in India.

Beautiful people in Jaipur

Another year, when I returned to Jaipur, I carried with me money my sister Marie and her husband Scott had given me to purchase another rickshaw for a deserving family. I met these two beautiful girls and their whole family; the father is a rickshaw wallah, and the two young women make bracelets for a living, earning between the two of them 50 rupis (about $1.25 per day.) The family of 9 lives in one room. My sister's and her husband's rickshaw was a present for their 5 grandsons for Christmas that year.

Our own rickshaw in Jaipur

Neil and I have our own rickshaw in India. I was visiting Jaipur and hired a very nice rickshaw wallah so I decided to purchase a rickshaw for him so that he would not have to pay for rental each day. Rickshaw drivers only earn a dollar or two a day so if they don't have to pay rent (about 60 cents per day), it makes a difference. When I returned, the next year, that is what I saw. On the photo, Papu, (my rickshaw driver) and one of his beautiful daughters.

more on the magic of numbers

Here is a little quizz:

If a homemade lunch of ham and lettuce sandwich, fruit, beverage poured from a large container into a smaller one, and a couple of home made cookies cost in total $3., how much more will it cost to eat an inexpensive meal at the restaurant marked at $8. on the menu card?

The difference, you might say is $5.00 per day;

There are about 230 workdays a year (subtracting holidays) therefore, it would cost $1,050. per year. But, would it?

The $8. meal, after taxes, drink and gratuities will cost closer to $14.50

Meal $8.; Drink $3.; Taxes $1.50; gratuity $2. so, the difference, if one calculates it that way is $9.50. per day or $2,185. per year.

Now, assuming one earns $23,000. per year, ($100. per day of work), how many days will that person have worked in order to pay for eating at the restaurant rather than taking a home-made lunch?

A bit less than 22 days of work? In other words, one whole month of work? Not exactly.

There is a catch: in order to spend $2,185. the person who earns $23,000. per year will have to earn approximately $2,731. because his take-home pay after deductions is only about $80. per day (assuming a 20% rate of total deductions).

So, the answer is: the person who earns $23,000. per year and eats at the restaurant each day instead of taking his lunch to work will be working 27 days a year for the convenience of not having to plan and make a home-made lunch, (that is 5 ½ weeks of work).

The person who earns $50,000. a year and pays 30% of his wage in deductions, will have to work 18 days a year (3 ½ weeks) to pay for those lunches.

$2,185. that's a couple of weeks of all-inclusive at the beach in a tropical country. Wow!

Bon appetit!