By Steven Curtis, August 2006.
Appreciation and Thanksâ¦
Foremost, I feel very fortunate and privileged to be able to take a trip of this magnitude â a global exploration and adventure for an entire year. Yes, this trip was a top priority for our family over the last several years and we allocated resources, financial, energy and lots of research time, accordingly towards achieving this goal. However, being on this trip I realize that there is only a microscopic cross-section of the entire worldâs population that could even begin to dream about the possibility of such a venture, let alone plan and dedicate resources towards pursuing this type of endeavor. Additionally, the support of many people whose valuable assistance, resources, housing, and direction to see the many unique sites in their beloved community and country was instrumentally in making this trip an overwhelming success; providing us with many unique experiences and help us maintain our modest budget through numerous and very unexpected donations of all types. Please look on our website, www.picadocurtis.net under âtrip sponsors and thanksâ for a listing of everyone.
There was also the multitude of fellow travelers and local people, many are now dear friends, we encountered on the road that we traveled with and shared great adventures and laughs with, or told us about sites, hostels, directions, warnings, restaurants, good beaches or local events we would not have known of. They also invited us into their homes and shared their family and culture or provided us with encouragement and insightful conversations at just the right time. Also, there were many people who prayed for us throughout this trip, which was evident and very much appreciated each and every day of our journey. There were just too many circumstances, some very difficult with critical decision making necessary, that remarkably and consistently worked out for us to be called âluckyâ. This trip was blessed and looked upon from above.
Then there is the Eugene contingent who provided us with a support network from home. Jeff Baumgart for dealing with all the issues (Oomphee will live forever) and rental of our house for an entire year, the Women of 2191 Monroe who took care of our house and kept the warm spirit alive, very welcomed and timely âcare packagesâ by Joanne Rocker and the Momâs group and my sister and all the emails of information and conservations of the going-ons in Eugene, thanks Dave, along with all the people who pressed âContact Usâ on our website and expressed how much they loved our travelogs, photos and how and why we were able to go on this trip. Thank you to everyone and all that each of you did to support us on our trip. I deeply appreciate the effort. Thank You!
Also, being with Therese, the kids and my mom 24/7 was at times challenging, but a reward and experience that can not be quantified. I look back at all the experiences, beauty and challenges we faced as a group for an entire year and as the Master Card commercial professes, these moments are âpricelessâ. Plus, having Marcia be apart of our family for two months in Africa was indeed special. Her generosity and appreciation, prayerful soul and participation in the Enoosaen Water Project and
The commentaryâ¦
This world of ours is an amazing place! Each country overflowed with spectacular, picturesque and extraordinary natural and cultural landscapes that reflect historic events and governance, architectural and artistic ingenuity and perseverance, people filled with compassion and generosity and a commitment to family, community and a faith in a higher power, and the magically symbiotic relationship between flora, fauna and ecosystem. From the sunâs first rays of the day illuminating the Himalayas in a vibrant alpenglow ceremony to the luminous pastel palate of the setting sun dipping beneath a calm Andaman Sea horizon to witnessing and meeting of people, family and friends, so generous, so grateful, so resilient, so patient and so loving, evidence of miracles and the magic of this planet surrounded me each and every day. That is why answering the inevitable question, âwhich country was my favorite?â is so difficult to answer. This trip provided me the platform to shed at-home chaotic schedules and concerns and allow me to absorb each day, each incredible snapshot of the inherent beauty, awesomeness and difficult realities of daily life from numerous angles and shades of light within our global landscape. I am grateful to God for providing this incredible stage.
Each country was different with a dynamic interrelationship between people, infrastructure and natural landscape that was unique. These differences offer us the opportunity to gain more insights, more knowledge about ourselves and how humans interact with the world at a macro and micro level. To be able to shed my rose colored glasses and see the world as a global citizen, a conduit for education and to seek and understand the numerous cultures and lifestyle, not just an American looking for comparisons or expressing our virtues or way of life. Based on this and previous trips I have learned that these differences should be celebrated and learned from and I do believe it is arrogant to think that one country, society or culture has all the answers and correct means and methods for living. Each person, each community, has something to contribute to the learning progression and evolution of people. We may need to look harder and experience first-hand situations to understand these small, subtle characteristics and contributions, but we can learn, benefit and celebrate these differences we may not fully appreciate or comprehend from a magazine article or agenda driven television show about faraway destinations. That is why we decided to maintain a website and write descriptive travelogs and provide photographs to develop an understanding of these experiences and help other people pursue longer term visits outside the United States. I feel it is invaluable, as Americans, to see and better understand the complexities and dynamics of our entire world and how American foreign policy plays out, because as residents of a global superpower our actions and policies have the ability to impact all countries for better or worse. That is why the second most asked and most perplexing question was, âhow could the American people elect George Bush a second timeâ? In fact, the people who talked politics with us throughout the world had an incredible grasp and understanding about overall American politics and issues⦠much better than most Americans.
Yes, there were tragic situations, both man-made and natural, pollution, very poor living conditions, lack of medical care, evident corruption, over-developed tourist locations, people discontent with current political governance, lack of infrastructure or basic resources and poverty. These attributes, some very widespread, are found everywhere, including the United States and were difficult to witness and be apart of. There is so much that needs to be done just to provide the basics of life at the grassroots level. The streets of Kolkata, India initially shook my psyche and I needed several days of forcing myself to walk the streets to be somewhat comfortable. Peterâs persistence in finding a cheap, good Indian restaurant, the Christmas Eve precession to Mother Thereseâs and the lassi street vendor outside our hotel helped immensely. Each area has a deep seated history of events, beliefs and circumstances that have molded what I saw today; struggles, adapting, and change based on the past and present play out globally, regionally and in the neighborhoods, both humanely and inhumanely in all countries. However, when approached individually with an open heart and mind, compassion and generosity and friendship were consistent attributes of a vast majority of people no matter what their circumstance.
I found it very ironic that while Therese and I were walking and talking about potential safety issues in Central America and how we would handle them, I was shot in Eugene, Oregon with a high-powered pelt gun in the leg that required surgery four days be we left on our trip. Many people had concerns about our safety, we did too. There were a few uncomfortable situations in which my radar was on alert, but there was not one incident or violation. We were vigilant and prescribed prevention and prudence with our movement and possessions. For example, would you walk the neighborhoods of any major urban city with the high levels of crime rates at night? We also learned to understand our vulnerable times and watch each others back, such as crowded, street side bus terminals. Of course, there are people who mean to cause harm or steal possessions, but they are a miniscule number compared to all of the hard working, honest, generous and caring people of all religions or beliefs that are present in all areas, remote or populated. For us, maintaining our health and diagnosis and treatment when we fell ill was more of an issue to deal with.
Throughout the trip, Therese constantly was on the kids and myself about hygiene, insuring safe drinking water, inspecting the food stalls or restaurant and performing the morning and evening ritual of applying mosquito repellant and putting on our pants and long sleeved shirts on. She carried an extensive medicine kit filled with natural remedies, first aid supplies and more powerful medicines. At the first glimpse of sickness, Therese attacked, monitoring fevers, providing multi-vitamin energy and dehydration drinks and ensuring we had adequate rest. We had a few medical issues along the way that required fast decision making, some diagnostic capabilities, medical assistance and bedside care, Thereseâs actions were immediate in dealing with each case. Her ability to fight through her own diarrhea and provide care and transport for Peter to a hospital in Mexico during Hurricane Emily was the most heroic moment of the trip.
The tripâ¦
In looking back at my pre-trip reflections, my desired outcomes, for me, Therese, Peter, Paul, and my mom to experience diverse cultures and historic sites, see the natural world and observe wildlife, and participate in the challenges of daily international travel were all met and exceeded my expectations. This was an impressive growth year, both physically and mentally, for Peter and Paul. From an educational perspective, this trip packed in years of historic, geographic and biological studies. Learning about predator/prey wildlife interactions from a guide in Ngorongoro National Park or Greek history at the ruins of Delphi, a vast array of knowledge has been cemented in their thoughts. Peter developed a love of languages and Paul a desire to know everything about wildlife while on this trip. Being able to witness Peter negotiate hotel room rates in Italian, begin writing a science fiction novel, and soaking in Renaissance art history at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, while Paul became an expert wildlife guide with a amazing ability to spot animals throughout the world, create detailed notes about each species encountered and document a majority of the trip on video made my heart sing as a parent. Both took active roles in maintaining the budget and participating in the tough daily decisions. Both formulated their own international trips in preparation of their adult year, including Peterâs cycle tour through Greece and Italy and mainland China and Paulâs endeavor to sight all the worldâs primates and participate in the Jane Goodall Institute for the preservation of mountain gorillas. I feel, as a parent, part of my job description is to provide my children with appropriate tools to make wise, difficult decisions based on risk and reward. International travel provided these difficult assessments daily with numerous opportunities for my children to grow confidently in their decisions making and physical and social abilities.
My first romantic letters to Therese were visions of the two of us walking on tropical beaches, snorkeling, spreading suntan lotion on each other and ... With chaotic schedules, work deadlines and growing children, these romantic encounters and meaningful time together became less frequent. Walking hand in hand through Florence, Italy and to the overlook at Piazza Michelangelo to see the town and evening light along the river, or being together at the end of the group during our three day trek in Sumatra through the monsoon rains and exhaustive walking, this trip was not just about romantic encounters, but about being together, experiencing incredible sights together and to discuss our lives as our kids transition into secondary school and beyond. I also loved watching Therese break through any real and perceived cultural barriers to gather insights and provide us with experiences in her typical animated and honest approach. My memories of Mrs. Igen in the rice fields of Indonesia giving Therese a hug or being invited into a familyâs house in Darjeeling to share Christmas goodies and family stories will always make my heart warm and appreciate the numerous gifts and talents that Therese has.
I was also grateful to have my mom on our trip and provide her the opportunity to see and experience a vast array of landscapes and people. Her ability to adapt to the many diverse circumstances and hold her own, especially on the more difficult parts of the trip, was very impressive and made me very proud of her. Seeing her struggle on a very difficult 10 kilometer section of trail through rice paddies and steep jungle terrain in the Nam Tha protective area of Northern Laos and maintain her enthusiasm and spirit despite injured ankles was remarkable. Also, I feel the grandparent relationship is a very special bond and seeing her interact with Peter and Paul through teaching of art, hours of talking and walking, sharing living quarters and helping out with any problems they encountered was indeed a special gift.
For myself, being in the nature, observing wildlife and exploring new horizons are my passions. My love of nature and exploration was immensely fulfilled as we visited and trekked in the rainforests of Costa Rica to see three-toed sloths, picked leeches off our legs and utilized map and compass to find our way back to the lodge in Taman Negara, rode through the plains of Africa to witness wildlife, observed Orangutans in Sumatra, snorkeled with giant Green sea turtles in the Prehentians, experienced the chaos of Bangkok in a Tuk-Tuk, explored the vast ruins of Tikal and Angkor Wat and finally saw the tiger I have been dreaming about since I was a little boy from the back of an elephant in Central Indiaâs Kanha National Park. I was also very grateful that I was able to share these passions in such diverse and incredible settings with Therese, Peter and Paul.
Significant lasting memoriesâ¦
Everywhere⦠watching Therese repeatedly breakthrough language and cultural barriers to establish new friends and exciting adventures.
In Central Americaâ¦snorkeling in Xel-ha, Yucatan, Mexico during our first week away; our middle of the night taxi cab ride to avoid Hurricane Emily; Peter ending up in the hospital with dysentery and salmonella; snorkeling on Laughing Bird caye in Belize; exploring the Tikal ruins and seeing our first glimpses of monkeys; Therese overcoming her fear of heights and scaling Templo IV in Tikal; overlooking Antigua from the Café Sky; the verdant volcanoes dominating the landscape of central Guatemala; stopping at the top of the rim overlooking Lago Atitlan; watching a giant green sea turtle move down the beach and into the water after laying her eggs in a torrential downpour; being introduced to Dos Pinos ice cream by Miguel; the sloths, monkeys and beach at Manual Antonio National Park; the wildlife and boat tour of Parque Nactional de Tortuguero; banana pancakes in Uvita, Costa Rica;
In Japan⦠seeing the Golden Temple in Kyoto and playing Frisbee in the park with Hayato and his parents and seeing Kazu and sightseeing around Miyazki;
In Southeast Asiaâ¦the generosity and graciousness of Ton's entire family who provided us with transportation, housing and guides from Lopburi to Chiang Mai, Thailand; all Thai food; our first Tuk-Tuk ride and the chaos of Bangkok traffic; meeting Bill Savage and getting to know Bangkok and meeting his friend Boon and spending time on his farm; the incredibly beautiful Ao Phran Nang beach; the disappointment of having so much rain during our precious 16 days on the beaches of southern Thailand and missing Koh Phi Phi; our volunteer experience at Khao Lak with Scott at the Cape Pakarang boat yard; our day and a half travel extravaganza in search of a sunny beach in Thailandâ¦thank you Koh Samet; our 9 hour 4x4 truck ride from Huay Xai to Luang Nam Tha on a slick red clay road being completely reconstructed in the monsoon; Trekking with our incredible guides, To and Tha, in the Nam Ha natural protected near Luang Nam Tha and seeing two hilltribe villages, rice paddy cultivation and tropical rainforest; the 6 hour boat ride from Nong Kniaw to Luang Prabang through limestone mountains drapped in jungle and subsistence villages along the river; the beautiful city of Luang Prabang; the body shaking road system in Laos; having Alex, Veronica and Anna as part of our family throughout Laos and sharing adventurous with them; teaching Peter how to ride a motorcycle in Vang Vieng, Laos; seeing every restaurant in Vang Vieng playing âFriendsâ re-runs 24/7; trekking in Mt. Leuser National Park with our friends Sarah and Arun and guides Sonny and Donnie for 3 days surrounded by the incredible beauty of the rainforest and seeing so much wildlife, including wild organutans, and our confrontation with Nina; seeing Peter and Paulâs enthusiasm for wildlife and nature; our 11 kilometer trek in the rainforest of Taman Negara, Malaysia and losing sight of the trail for several hours and sleeping in a wildlife observation hide; the snorkeling, nightly fish barbeques, body surfing and beach life on the Prehentians, Malaysia; two days of exploring the incredible Temples of Angkor, especially Angkor Wat, the faces of Bayon, the eerie Ta Prohm and the remote Preah Khan.
In India⦠our taxi ride from the Kolkata airport to find a hotel at midnight, my first glimpse of the streets of Calcutta the next morning, Christmas Vigil at the Shrine of Mother Therese, sunrise on Tiger hill watching the sun illuminate Mt. Everst and Kunchenzunga, the spectacular views of the Himalaya from Darjeeling, our day break boat ride on the Ganges in Varanasi, seeing Tigers from the back of an elephant in jungles of Kanha National Park, the Taj Mahal,
In East Africa⦠our hike in Kabale National Park, Uganda to witness wild Chimpanzees; my dislike of taxis in Nairobi; having passports and wallet stolen in Nairobi; every minute of our safari to Samburu, Nakuru and Maasai Mara National Park and our guide/driver, Sampuyli, who made this safari most memorable; the early morning and late afternoon light in Kenya is very powerful and beautiful; our 12 day stay and volunteer work on the water project in the small village of Enoosaen will forever be in our hearts and memories; getting to know the people of Kenya with their warm and caring personalities; Paul's 12 birthday party in the village in which the village slaughtered a goat and provided Paul with a Maasai ceremony and traditional clothing was an incredible experience, hanging out at the gorgeous Lake Bunyoni, our volunteer work at the Victory Community gardens project, our day trip to Ngorongoro Crater and seeing lions stalk a herd of Wildebeests, hiking in the Usambra mountains in Lesotho, the crystal clear and ultra warm water and white sand beaches of Zanzibar.
In Mediterrean Europeâ¦watching the total eclipse of the sun as we sat on a hill surrounded by the surreal landscape of Cappadocia, Turkey; Peter negotiating hotel room deductions in Italian; hiking through ancient lands with stone houses and crumbling fences while spring flowers bloomed throughout the hillsides of Naxos, Greece; participating in the Orthodax Easter week on Naxos, having morning coffee on the rim of Santorini and just marveling at this most unique natural and human landscape; the ruins of Delphi; the coastal landscape of Amalfi and our several walks in the hillsides around Amalfi and traversing the thousands of stairs to obtain the numerous picturesque views of the coast; the shocking costs of Italy, the ruins of Pompeii and how well preserved they are; walking the streets of Rome for 3 days and seeing all the magnificent sites: Trevi fountain, Piazza Navona and the fountain of the four rivers at twilight; racing to the Sistine Chapel first thing in the morning with all the anticipation; seeing the Sistine Chapel; Michelangelo's La Pieta; walking around the outskirts of Florence with Therese and coming across Piazza Michelangelo overlooking the city; the generosity of the Petrucco family in northern Italy; spending time and getting a working understanding of the Petrucco winery in the Friuli region of northeast Italy; our day trip through the incredible Alps in northern Italy and Slovenia; Walking around the lesser visited places of Venice to see the amazing sights around the smaller canals of this beautiful town; falling asleep on our French train from Nice to Barcelona and walking up the next morning in Bourdeaux, requiring a 12 hour back track, Gaudiâs incredible work in Barcelona topped off by the famous Sangria Familia cathedral, going to the beach after a two month absent in Barcelona; staying in Portugal for the summer and seeing all the relatives and hanging out at the Costa Nova for several weeks, having my sister fly into Portugal and participating on the trip, for Fernindinha, Walter, Isabel, and Nazinha for showing us all the sites of Portugal, all the dinners and visits we had with all the family and friends from Ilhavo and Porto, watching Peter and Paul play with all their cousins for hours each and everyday.
Would I do it again?
Yes, in a heart beat, but with a few minor adjustments. I would not go around the world (one year is not enough!), but concentrate on a circle tour through a main region (Asia, Pacific Ocean, Central America and Caribbean, etc.) to minimize airplane and transportation costs and to spend more time for exploration and seeing more âoff the main tourist routeâ places. I would integrate more mountain hiking and maintain jungle hiking, more islands and beach locales, keep seeking National Parks, visit smaller towns in more remote areas, integrate UNESCO world heritage sites and parks, and seek out specific wildlife observation options.