Category: Travel Now: Encouraging People to Explore the World

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God Planned Better: What My New Colombian Family Taught Me About Travel

“[You say] ‘Heaven decreed it otherwise!’, rather . . . adopt a phrase which is braver and nearer the truth . . . “Heaven decreed better!” (Seneca, Letter XCVIII).

Travel doesn’t always work out how you planned. My plan was to travel from Ibague, Colombia to Medellin to Cartagena and then to our home in Tennessee. So, on Monday, April 3, my wife, three of my daughters, and my new son-in-law took two Ubers to the Ibague airport to fly to Medellin.

When we arrived at the Ibague airport, there were maybe three people there. There was no one at the ticket counter. It was like Night of the Living Dead minus the zombies.

After a few minutes, someone showed up at the ticket counter. I went up to talk to them. I showed them my tickets. He said, “These tickets are not from Ibague. They are from Bogota.” Bogota was 120 miles through the mountains away. There, in Bogota, the flight we paid for would leave in a mere two hours. I had bought the wrong ticket!

I stopped and thought. What was I going to do? We had to get to Cartagena, and we had to get to Medellin to fly to Cartagena. What to do? The only solution I could come up with was to fly directly to Cartagena the next day. I purchased six tickets for $100 a piece for the next day from Ibague (this time for sure!) to Cartagena. A friend of my son-in-law’s family had rented a three bedroom apartment and only needed one room, so she invited us to stay with her. $600 poorer, we went back to Ibague, but we had lodging and a way home.

The Family
So, we rejoined my son-in-law’s family. They all felt bad about what had happened. But their perspective on these events was interesting. They said, “Sometimes God’s plans are different than ours. But God’s plans are better.” “We don’t always understand what God is doing, but His will is always better.” “I’m so sorry, but we know that God has a plan that is better and wiser than ours.” It was rather remarkable. It was surprising how many of them had understood and imbibed this basic idea: we make our plans, but God’s plans supersede ours. And . . . God’s plans are better.

The good thing about staying in Ibague is that we got to spend time with our new Colombian family to whom we were connected by my daughter’s recent marriage to a Colombian man. We had really enjoyed getting to know this family, and we were thankful for this opportunity.

To the Mountains
Since they all had taken the day off and had family in town, they did what they always did on these occasions. They went away to the mountains and the small towns that dotted them, and they took our family with them.

The first place we went was the Mirador de Juntas. This was a lookout platform a short ways up the mountain with a view of the surrounding mountains and valley below. It was breathtaking.

Then, we went back toward Ibague. We visited the picturesque pueblo or small town of Villa Restrepo. When Colombians think of vacations, they think of going to the pueblos. Often, they have family there. On the weekends and holidays, the cities empty out, and people return to the pueblos or visit new ones. Villa Restrepo was a great example of it.

There, in Villa Restrepo, we sampled local sweets and coffee with raw dark sugar. We enjoyed the varied architecture of the buildings in town and the scenery of the mountains around it. But the best was yet to come. We were going to ride horses to the tallest waterfall in the state or province of Tolima, Cascada La Plata, the silver waterfall.

Horseback Riding
We arrived at the home that would provide the horses and guides for us to ride to the waterfall. We had an inauspicious start. A cute little pug was walking up the road with his master. Suddenly, we heard a howl and the scuffle of dogs fighting. A pitbull-like dog had sunk its teeth into the neck of the pug. My son-in-law’s father went over and put the attacker in a chokehold, and his cousin, the owner of three pitbulls, pried its jaws open. The pug escaped, a little worse for wear, with his master. The children beat the attacking dog with their shoes. What is this horseback ride going to be like? I thought.

I have been horsebackriding several times in tourist areas in the United States. You can basically take a nap on the horse. They just follow the crowd. Not so in Colombia. There, you have to work at it. You have to keep the horse on the path. You have to trot to catch up. You have to connect with your house. You actually have to learn how to ride.

But it was awesome. The scenery was stunning. The trail was amazing. The horses were great. The company was enjoyable. The guides were helpful.

I thought, we are really doing this. We are riding horses through the Andes mountains like in the movies. It had been a great day. God had planned better. My wife and I looked around at our new Colombian family, our son-in-law, and our daughters. “This is one of the greatest experiences of my life.” She said. “To be here in this time with these people in this place on horses is just incredible.” I agreed.

When our plans don’t work out, it can be frustrating. It doesn’t always work out as well as it did that day. It’s not always clear that God has planned better. But that day we could see what is true even when we don’t see it: God planned better.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. Have you had experiences like this one? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below. If you like this post, subscribe on the right hand side (laptop) or below (mobile). I hope to see you hear again.

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5 Great Places to Enjoy the Fall in the Great Smoky Mountains

How do you enjoy the fall in the Great Smoky Mountains? The first thing to do is—be here! There is a reason October is the busiest month in one of the busiest tourist destinations in the nation. Fall in the Great Smoky Mountains is spectacular!

I have lived near the Great Smoky Mountains for five years, and I have tried to find the best ways to enjoy the fall. Here’s five great places to enjoy the fall in the Great Smoky Mountains.

1. Laurel Falls Trail. Even though fall is glorious in the Smoky Mountains, one thing we lack is red leaves. Most of our trees turn yellow or orange. So, when you see a lot of red leaves, it really stands out.

I remember the first year I was living in Sevierville. It was an overcast day near the end of October, and I drove into the park to hike in Elkmont in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). I drove by the Laurel Falls Trailhead on my way, and I noticed something. There were red leaves everywhere. I changed my hike for the day. I hiked up to Laurel Falls and beyond. It is still the most beautiful hike I have done in the park (and I’ve hiked a lot!).

That day, I texted my wife: “Whatever you’re doing, stop, and come to the GSMNP.” I put the same on Facebook. This was peak color at the place of the most varied color I had yet seen. The Laurel Falls Trail is a 3 mile round trip hike on a paved trail. It is a relatively easy hike for those who want to get out and see the colors.

To get there: Go to the Sugarlands Visitor Center in the GSMNP just south of Gatlinburg. Take a right onto Fighting Creek Gap Road. The Laurel Falls Trailhead is 3.7 miles from the Visitor Center on your right.

Tip: if you don’t mind walking in a little bit of rain, an overcast day is a great way to see the colors without all the crowds. The Laurel Falls Trail gets crazy busy. On the other hand, if you’re an extrovert and love talking to people, go on a sunny day and talk to everyone on the way up and down.

2. Newfound Gap Road. If you come to the Great Smoky Mountains in early October, you may be disappointed with the lack of color. Don’t worry! The different elevations of the GSMNP provide color from late September into November. Just go up!

The Newfound Gap Road is essentially the same road as the Parkway in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. You just keep going south. As you go south, you will go up. If the leaves haven’t changed at one elevation, keep going. This road will take you all the way to the stunning views of Newfound Gap. Keep going past Newfound Gap, and you can turn right to go to Clingman’s Dome.

People ask me from time to time, what is the best hike for good views? To get good views on a hike in the GSMNP generally requires a lot of walking. However, you can experience great views of the mountains by simply driving up the Newfound Gap Road. At any time of year, it’s worth driving this road but especially in the fall.

Tip: remember that the change in elevation also means a change in temperature. If you want to walk around at the higher elevations, bring additional clothing or jackets for much cooler weather.

3. Ober Mountain (HT: my friend Art Stump). Ober Gatlinburg is known for skiing, but it has a lot more to offer. It has ice skating, a mountain coaster, shops, restaurants, and much more. One great way to see the fall colors is by taking the aerial tramway up to Ober Mountain.

Ober Mountain has a German theme to it. So, not surprisingly, these folk also celebrate Oktoberfest. You can enjoy traditional German food, drinks, and music.

4. For the ambitious: hike Mount LeConte. As you drive around Sevier County, you can see Mount LeConte from almost any spot. It is the mountain that dominates the southern horizon in our county.

Mount LeConte is a hard but rewarding hike. There are five trails that lead to the summit of Mount LeConte, and they all are at least 5 miles one way with at least a 2500 ft. elevation change. The shortest is the Alum Cave Trail, but it is very crowded throughout the year.

The trails to Mount LeConte feature a variety of panoramic views of the topography and the changing leaves of the forest. Mount LeConte is only around 6,000 feet above sea level, but the contrast with the surrounding area (which is at around 1,000 feet above sea level) is dramatic.

Some people stay in the cabins near the summit of Mount LeConte. Even if you are not staying overnight, you can call ahead and order a meal or purchase coffee, hot chocolate, or lemonade (without calling ahead) at the Lodge. There is also a place to refill water bottles and use the restroom.

Tips: this is not a hike for the faint of heart. Remember to bring appropriate clothing, first aid kits, water, food, and other essentials for a long hike in the wilderness.

5. Local events. There are many events that take place in the fall. The most popular is probably Dollywood’s Great Pumpkin Luminights. Dollywood puts out an astonishing number of pumpkins and fall decorations. The park is open at night, and you can see the pumpkins and other fall decorations lit up. I highly recommend it, but it’s very busy. Dollywood also has their Southern Gospel concerts at this time.

Tip: If you can get to the Great Smoky Mountains early in the week, go to Dollywood on a Monday or Tuesday for smaller crowds. If you like big crowds, go on Friday or Saturday night!

A couple of other events that I enjoy in the fall are First Baptist Church of Sevierville’s corn maze. On the first week of October, First Baptist Church sets up a free corn maze with free food and other activities. It is their way of loving the community. You can find the corn maze directly across from Sevierville City Park (If you miss it, try Kyker Farms’ corn mazes).

Another event that I attend every fall is the Scots Irish Festival in Dandridge. Dandridge is Northeast of Sevierville/Pigeon Forge. The drive along the northern shore of Douglas Lake is fantastic. It will lead you to the small, historic town of Dandridge, TN. This festival always takes place on the last Saturday of September. It is a free festival that features food, music, and Celtic paraphernalia for sale. The small town itself and the location below the dyke make for a great atmosphere. I highly recommend it.

And, finally, don’t forget to just walk around and see the fall beauty around you. Once the color descends from the mountains, you can see beautiful fall views just about everywhere. By late October, my favorite place to enjoy the fall is simply walking around my neighborhood (like in the picture below). Go from wherever you are in the Great Smoky Mountains, walk around, and enjoy the colors and the views of the mountains.

And what about you? Do you feel there’s something I should add to this list? Is there a favorite of yours that I’ve missed? Please add it in the comments below. If you like this post, go to the sidebar (laptop) or scroll down (cellular device) to subscribe to this blog. I will be posting travel articles regularly to encourage you to travel now and explore the world.

In the meantime, enjoy the fall, y’all!

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The Wonders of Egypt: The Pyramids Are Just the Beginning

If you mention the pyramids, what comes to people’s minds? Egypt. Would you like to visit them? “Yes!” Almost everybody would. I have had the privilege of visiting the pyramids twice in less than two years, but what I have found is that the pyramids are just the tip of the iceberg in Egypt. Egypt is a place like no other. The almost tropical scenes of the Nile allowed an amazing civilization to flourish, but the desert a few meters away preserved it for us today. It is a Muslim culture, but it is the home of some of the oldest churches in the world, some of which the large Christian minority still use. You can also find Greek and Roman history as well as the history of Arabs, Turks, British, and French. But the best part of Egypt for me is the people. They are a people who know hospitality, who are ready to dance, who know how to cook, and are ready to be your friend. For all of these reasons, Egypt is a destination you do not want to miss.

In this post, I want to describe what it is like to travel through Egypt and introduce you to the places I visited in two trips. Our trips consisted of six parts: Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, the Nile, Luxor, and Hurghada. That’s our route in this article.

Cairo
Cairo is huge and filled with people. About 30 million people, one fourth of the population of Egypt, lives in and around Cairo. Make sure you see it from the air as you come in to get an idea of its size. The traffic is unbelievable. It makes driving anywhere in the United States look orderly and easy in comparison.

On the edges of Cairo, you come to Giza, still very crowded. There, you find the pyramids. No matter how many pictures you’ve seen, there is simply no way to do justice to the size and wonder of these ancient structures. There are three great pyramids named after the kings who built them, Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. You come first to the largest, the pyramid of Khufu. You can enter into this pyramid and ascend to the tomb deep within the pyramids. The second largest is that of Khafre, and the third is that of Menkaure.

Continue reading “The Wonders of Egypt: The Pyramids Are Just the Beginning”

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Visiting Bogotá

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to visit Bogotá, Colombia. It was also my first time in South America. This trip was a bit different than my other trips. I did not do as much tourism as I ordinarily do. I was focused on taking care of a few things in my personal life. However, I did get to know the city, and I have a few thoughts for those who are considering travel to Colombia. For reasons I will explain below, this is probably useful for people who are considering traveling to other parts of Latin America as well.

Bogotá and the Tourist Areas of Latin America
There are many parts of Latin America where American gringos can go and enjoy a great time. Latin America is beautiful. The people are friendly. The culture is interesting. The dollar goes a long way. It is often cheaper to travel in Latin American than in the United States. In most of Latin America, you can travel easily with a few precautions like you might take in traveling to bigger cities in the United States, i.e., keeping on eye on your valuables, not getting drunk and wandering around the city, and avoiding the rougher areas of the city.

Based on my experience, Bogotá is just like that except for one qualification. It is very easy to visit, if you know Spanish. In traveling to Colombia, you will not encounter a lot of people who speak English like you would in the major tourist areas of Latin America. It is difficult for me to gauge exactly what it would be like to only speak English there, but it would seem to me that it would be a bit difficult to orient yourself. For example, I took Ubers wherever I went. I had great experiences with them, and I had great conversations with the drivers because I can speak Spanish. One driver told me of the frustration of someone who was not able to speak Spanish. They started to panic, and he didn’t know what to do. I am not saying that you will have big problems, if you do not know Spanish. I am just saying it will be more difficult to orient yourself to what is happening.

So, if you want to travel to Bogotá or the heartland areas of many Latin American countries, learn Spanish to the point you can have a decent conversation or go with someone who speaks it. With this ability, you can easily travel in Bogotá or countless other wonderful places in Latin America securely and without much hassle.

However, if you still want to try and do it, let me give you a few thoughts. Consider going with a company that will organize the whole trip for you. It is not that expensive compared to the U.S., and it will give you a guide throughout the country. If you do not want to do that, you can hire a private transport that will probably have English speakers, but it will cost quite a bit more than an Uber or other forms of transport. You can stay in many hotels where people will speak English. The reason for this is that not only Americans but foreigners from all over the world use English as the means of communication. Consider staying in a hotel that is part of one of the many wonderful malls or commercial centers (centro commerciales). These are the securest places in Bogotá, and you can walk around them freely. They are big and feature all sorts of amenities. Finally, take some tours that will pick you up at your hotel and feature an English speaking guide.

My Experience of Bogotá
If you do speak Spanish or have someone who does, then you can easily move around the city. Let me share a bit of my experience. I really did not know what to expect of Bogotá. I had heard so many stories. I read advice from all sorts of people. Two things were clear: Do not have your cell phone out because people may snatch it, and do not be out at night, especially alone. Continue reading “Visiting Bogotá”

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Thoughts and Observations on Traveling to Spain from America

If you’ve ever thought of visiting the “Florida of Europe,” you really should have no hesitation. Traveling to Spain could hardly be easier, and you will enjoy a country that is hospitable, enjoyable, beautiful, secure, tranquil, and interesting.

One thing to remember about the Florida of Europe is that it is actually far to the north of our Florida here in the U.S. That means it’s quite a bit cooler. Experiencing temperatures in the 80s here, I told my wife that I was not going to bring a jacket to Spain. She responded, “Have you looked at the weather forecast?”

“No.” I replied.

“That might be a good idea.” She said. She proceeded to check it for me. Turns out I definitely needed a jacket, but the weather was still pleasant.

One of the big issues with traveling internationally is still Covid-19. However, if you are traveling to Spain and have been vaccinated, it is super easy. You simply fill out this form, and you will receive a QR Code. It takes just a couple of minutes, and you are good to go. We did not even have to show our vaccine cards.

As of now, to return to the U.S., you need a negative Covid test one day before you leave. This does not mean 24 hours. It means one day. So, if you are leaving on Sunday, you do the test on Saturday. We used the Binax Now tests from Abbott Labs. It was very easy, and we had no problems. You can order them here.

When people think of Europe, they often think it is very expensive. It can be. However, I found that it was not much more expensive than the U.S. and, for many things, less. For example, we stayed in downtown Madrid and Barcelona in very good hotels for less than $150 a night in Madrid and less than $100 in Barcelona. Continue reading “Thoughts and Observations on Traveling to Spain from America”

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