The tourist walked up to the restaurant, stopped, glanced at the exterior, looked over the menu on display and smiled, apparently finding something he liked. He started to enter but then stopped.
He pulled his travel guidebook out and leafed through the well worn, dog eared pages until he came to the city’s restaurant listings. He traced his finger down the reviews again and again. When he didn’t find the restaurant before him listed in his book he turned and walked away.
Meanwhile, we sat inside and enjoyed one of the best meals we’d had in weeks.
Click here for the rest of the story: http://www.hackneys.com/travel/peru/docs/rideyourownride.pdf
.
Great point amigo. Also to remember, when choosing restaurants or yielding to beggars, do as the locals. Hammering away at the national language is mandatory–start with the five Ws and grow. The next thing you know, you fall in love with entire cultures and never want to leave. Thanks for taking the time to include us in your incredible journey. As always Doug, I re-read several times, everything that you write.
You two have to be among the most fortunate of the planet, being able to experience this together. I am so jealous.
Good one, Doug.
I just came back from a 2-day ride to Santa Barbara on my 999R Ducati, which is just a little less comfortable than a rocket-propelled tricycle with 2×4 plank seats. Also, I’m at the age where looking over my shoulder is too much effort and I depend on the Duck’s (1 cubic inch) mirrors for life and limb (bad odds). Plus the guy I rode with was born with a crotch rocket fused to his hips and your story rang very true.
I’m home now, and riding my own ride forever.
Good word Doug! I’ve always felt it would be a great journey to go to the country of my choice and just explore. Not with tour guides and such, but just explore, see what I want to see, meet the people and interact with them. Thanks for sharing, I too love reading your stories!
Doug,
Ride Your Own Ride – well said. There is too much going on in this world and it is important not to sit idle. I suffer from severe wanderlust and your adventures continue to spark globetrotting desire. In the mean time, Colorado’s impeccable single track gets attention – my best summer odyssey in recent memory.
Enjoyed your Ride Your Own Ride. I have always been an individualist and gone my own way. With the RV lifestyle I aquired 8 years ago, at age 63 we have had many enjoyable adventures. Many of them have been off the track. That is where the stories are.
Greetings from Egypt! Well said, spot on, and to the point. My suggestion to anyone not bringing their own rolling sleeping quarters is “Just go”. If you need a hotel/hostel reservation to make you feel safe, make it for one day and find a real place away from the backpackers. Most times I forget all about the tourists. I rarely see them. Just got into the habit of being elsewhere. Much more comfortable. None of the constant hassle that greets the tourist-bible thumper atr every turn. Hungry? just look for a local place that is crowded. Can’t speak the language yet, just point. Man it is so easy, 1/2 or less the price, and 10 times the quality. I have lost track of how many times I have been to Egypt now, Vietnam, Thailand and around SEA. I think that Egyptians are probably the nicest and kindest people. But there are such nice people all over the world. Thailand is my fav for seafood. Vietnam has the BEST coffee and tea. Some good food to be had there too. Mexico and SoCal for mexican food. I do miss that. Oh, I forgot, this was about the book? Ah, never had one, never will. I just don’t get it. Thanks for the explanation. I will ask Santa for a….well.. ah.., hey, you really don’t need anything. Maybe I will get DSL at home… Maybe not. Take care. Hope to see you and Steph soon. If you hurry, and if you bring a can of Jif or Skippy, I may let you help me whitewash the fence.
I never really thought about it considering my lack of travel but the point you make is absolutly perfect. Why go if you’re just going to see things pointed out in a book, as if that’s the only stuff worth seeing. When we were in seattle we just wandered, we took in some sites we had in our coupon book and just looked for some cool stuff.
Doug,
Perfectly said, “ride your own ride”….I like it….
Jimmy
With a total of 56 pavement miles under my belt, and an M endorsement 72 hours old, I left for the Trans-America Trail on a wicked, yet perfect KTM950 Adventure. Reaching the end, at Port Orford, OR, I had not only ridden my own ride, but discovered the joys of riding, something that never came to me on a dirt bike, jumping around a closed course. All that was needed was a few sections of twisty pavement in Colorado and 2,550 miles of dirt trails, filled with unknown challenges and rewards to show me the kind of riding I NEEDED to be doing… And it was perfect.
This is so, so great. A philosophy that Barbara and I not only understand but try to adhere to. We are so happy for you two that you are so fortunate to be able to do what you are doing. God bless – be safe.
Lauren & Barbara (& Sadie, too!)