I understand that some of you can’t imagine why I’m tired and have decided it’s about time to head home. What happened the other day is a classic example.
I got on the fast ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar and showed my ticket to no less than three people at various gates as well as the boat enterance. While I was walking through the aisle to find a seat a man in plain clothes with no ID approached me and yelled at me to show him my ticket. I stood back, looked at him and firmly said “Who are you!? You’re holding carrots!”
You see, the man was not only standing around uselessly, he was standing with a plastic bag of carrots. I determined that if the man was indeed working he wouldn’t have brought his carrots with him.
The man was embarrassed by my carrot insult (other men were laughing at him as well) and ran up, flashing a badge for the ferry company. “Who am I!? What is this? he declared. I just shrugged and looked at his carrots.
When I start insulting people for carrying carrots it might be time to take a step back. As a single female traveler I am on alert at all times for scams, being followed and any otherwise suspicious behavior. It will be nice to go to a store and know I am not being ripped off and to walk down a street without looking over my shoulder for touts following me to earn an easy commission.
I’m heading for the beach tomorrow to relax from all the travel hassle. I have two new, thick books to read and a lot of catching up in my journal (I’m continuously one month behind on my sketchbook). Internet will be iffy but all these long stories about my trip to see the gorillas in the Congo, rafting and my safari will be up once I’m back home with reliable internet and a good keyboard. In the meantime I’ll continue posting these updates. On the plus side, let’s just be glad my computer made it as far as Kenya!
14 responses to “Criticizing Carrots”
I get cranky after three months on the road – I’m constantly amazed how you and other RTW travelers can do a year or more! I think 6 to 8 weeks is just about perfect.
Smiling here. I think you are just an amazing woman. You have been out and about for a long time, as amazing as the world must be there is something glorious about “home” as well. Enjoy your rest and books. And enjoy your journey home.
The other Lisa
People who don’t know assume a RTW trip is a form of a long vacation. What people don’t realize is that there is a big difference between “travelling” and “vacation”. It’s akin to a full-time job.
Congrats on 400 days!!
Oh yeah, I forgot… Do you know that you made the site credits over at A Trail of Ants?
http://www.trailofants.com/backpack/site-credits/
He wrote some nice things about you and your website and I thought you would like to know.
if people want to rip you off or abduct you, then they serioulsy should recondsider. not only will i come there packing heat but my best friend tony is in the navy seals training program. no worries, youre’ a Kearney and fear is not in our vocabulary.
Ever find out why he had carrots?
Stacy/Megan: ‘Me-Go RTW’ made the site credits AND the links page… that’s how highly I regard Megan and her site.
I never tire of reading it, even when she takes a break I’ll use the time to re-read sections as I was relatively late finding her!
But more importantly, I am intrigued by Carrot Man! I will now make it my personal challenge to search for him along my Trail!
?Who are you!? You?re holding carrots!?
This should be the question we ask of everyone. Some folks have a monkey on their back, others shoulder a burden…and then there are those who hold the carrots.
Methinks we must all avoid those who are holding carrots…it portents of irritating doom.
ps…I cannot wait until you come back to the windy city!
Megan:
We miss you terribly and can’t wait for you to come home. I can totally picture you saying that carrot line and it makes me smile. I hope your rest is restful 🙂
love,
The Panda
oh yeah. I think I lost it after 6-7 months,constantly bugging my hubby to go home and have:
a, one bed for longer than 2 days
b, price stickers on food
c, edible food on every corner
d, warm shower
And did we go home? nope, we stayed travelling 13 months. Have been home for over 13 months now and let me tell you I’d take that hasseling over my 9-5 job any time 🙂
Hello, where are you? We haven’t heard one peep from you in a while. Hope you are doing well.
Pura Vida,
Claudia
Hi everyone! I’ve been relaxing on Zanzibar for two weeks and then spent a day in Dar es Salaam. I’m finally back in Nairobi and it feels good to know how to direct the taxi driver, how much it should cost and so on.
I’m currently fretting over how I’m going to get all of the things I bought home, if my baggage allowance will be exceeded, what I can sit into my carry on and how I’ll manage it all on the bus into London. But I do feel organized, having written down all the Tube stations and opening hours for the museums I want to go to. I’ve been to London enough that I don’t need a guide—maybe just a map so I know which stations connect to which neighborhoods.
It’s going to be expensive (my dorm bed will be setting me back more than $30 per night) but it’s a treat at the end and I do love London. With the dollar at it’s embarrassing low I just won’t be able to buy any shoes this time.
Do you not still have friends in London? If not, I can bug mine (the guys Rik and Nik) and highly rec you as a temporary lodger. They were my friend Jane’s lodgers and are still living in her place in Kennington which is near the Northern Line.
Any money saved is well worth making new friends. 😉
email me if interested and I’ll ring the guys.
Nope, my ex-boyfriend is suspiciously in Italy at the moment so I’m solo. I’ve already booked up so it’s no problem. I like being right near Hyde Park anyway. But thanks, Ali.