TotalAdventure landed in Dakar Senegal on November 15, after a long flight across the African continent. On Thursday afternoon I flew Skylink from Antananarivo to Johannesburg where there was a 10 hour layover, spent in a lounge ( for pay) before boarding ASKY from Johannesburg to Lomé Togo with a stopover in Kinshasa,Congo. At Lomé I changed planes for the 3 hour flight to Dakar. In the next TotalAdventure Magazine article, I will show the entire air voyage from North America to Asia to Africa and then Europe.

Senegal is an Islamic nation ,with much French influence from colonial times, speaking French and Wolof. While many are pious, the atmosphere is relaxed, with people free to practice their own ways of life. The nation transitions from the edge of the Sahara in the North to humid jungles in the South. Dakar is right in between those zones with a mild oceanside climate. It is the Westernmost point in all of the Eurasian and African landmasses.

With natural resources ,an educated city population and good air and sea ports, business is connected with the rest of the world – France, the USA and China.

Dakar is a fashion capitol. Getting on the map with New York,Paris and Milan !

West African cuisine is tasty and filling. Chicken,fish ,rice and spices are the main ingredients,

Dakar is also a cultural center for music and art.

Traffic is not horrendous like most African cities and colorful old French buses ply the streets.

Inside the Grande Mosquée Dakar. It’s one of the largest in the world. TotalAdventure was granted entry and given a tour by the watchman.

In the Courtyard, by the tens of thousands.

While the standard of living is higher than much of Africa, it is still nowhere near the level of the West.

The CFA Franc is used in the West African nations of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.It is 630 to the US Dollar. Overall prices are much lower than the US and. Western Europe., though some luxury hotels are the same or higher priced than in Europe.

Dakar coastline by night.

Île Gorée – where millions of slaves were assembled for shipment to America – many of them to Charleston and New Orleans.There was even a house for a US Consulate on the island – probably to process bills of lading. Slaves to Brazil went from Angola. Some buildings remind me of Île Diable in French Guyana – the French excelled at building prisons all over the world.

A ship from nearby Mauritania. TotalAdventure is exploring the possibility of a trip from Morocco to South Africa later this year. Details soon. Contact us directly if interested.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE ! REAL MADAGASCAR !

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE ! REAL MADAGASCAR !

On October 30th, TotalAdventure landed in my 100th country – 57 years after #2 – France , in 1967 at age 8. As the number neared, the requirements grew stricter. Gone from the list were the Chines territories of Hong King and Macau. Taiwan is not recognized by the United Nations. East Germany is included because it was a nation when I traveled there in 1983. 2024I began with 95 in Nicaragua which comleted every continental country in the Americas, then Georgia,Armenia,Azerbaijan and Mauritius.

Entering Madagascar airspace. The plane flew in from the French Department of Réunion – an Indian Ocean island that is as much a part of France as Paris. Madagascar is 1000 miles long, 1600km and 300. iles wide 500km. THose beaches are empty !

Country # 100 ! Tourist visa on arrival. The QR is censored . To scan it brings up all te information that Google has on the traveler plus personal information and passport details.

Antananarivo ,the sprawling chaotic capitol city of 1.4 million. Malagasy is the national language, a tongue of Polynesian origin. French is the language of business and education. TotalAdventure knows ‘Restaurant French” but basic phrases are quite helpful.

Unique architecture with possible French influence, but unlike any other in the world.

Raw meat in Africa ? Zebu carpaccio is delicious and nutritious.

A Baby Baobab outside the airport.

The Malagasy Ariary is 4600 ot the US dollar. The largest bill is the 20000 , less than $5. Huge bundles of bills are required for many transactions, such as a tank of gas which can be 300,000 Ariary. Prices in Madagascar are much lower than the USA or Western Europe, with a good hotel room going for $ 60, luxury $ 90 and local $ 15. A hearty meal of zebu steak runs around $ 10 and beer about $ 1.

I could not fold my wallet and ended up carrying cash in my pack. This from a change of US $ 200..

The climate ranges from hot and wet in the northeast ,with rain in the summer from December to March. The southwest is desert and high desert with scorching temperatures in November. There is a winter than can get down to freezing in the mountains during July and August, but the coastal areas are pleasantly tropical. The best time to visit is from May to November.

Madagascar is mostly Catholic, also Evangelical Protestant and some Muslims. The churches are simple and only open on Sundays.

“African” hotel. Clean and comfortable at 60,000 Ariary , $ 14 a night.

The Spiny Forest typical of the coastal deserts of the southwest part of the country.

Rice was bought to the island by Southeast Asian boat migrants in the 1600s, and is grown in the Asian style. For many people rice is the main part of the diet ,served with fish ,vegetables and zebu.

Chameleon found only in Madagascar. AS Madagascar is so separate for the rest of the world, life forms have developed in their own.

Running water is rare in most villages. Rivers and lakes are for bathing and laundry, as well as irrigation for the rice fields. Although November is at the end of the dry season, there were adequate supplies of water.

At the marketplace in Tolara. Ducks for lunch !

Desert Sunset in Parc National Isalo.

Fixed tent quarters in Isalo.. Very comfortable at about US $ 70 a night.

Exotic Woodpecker.

Returning to Antananarivo, TotalAdventure flew on ,across Africa to Dakar !

TotalAdventure voyaged from Singapore to Mauritius on October 25 after promoting TotalAdventure.Travel and AdventureTravel.AI at ITB Asia , on eof the world’s largest travel shows, where i met with over 40 promoising adventure providers from Asia and Africa.

First there was an early moring one hour flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on Singapore Airlines. . After a 2 hour layover I boarded Air Mauritius for the 7 hour flight to the center of the Indian Ocean. Crossing the Equator for probably my 50th time, we went from Autumn to Spring, though the only difference in the tropical maritime world is that thel days are longer in the Southern Hemisphere at that time of year.

First stamp in my new passport. Singapore, my first country on the new passport is all electronic. The Mauritius authorities were puzzled as to how I got so far from home without one stamp, and thoroughly inspected my pack.

TotalAdventure was drawn to Mauritius for its’ land scenery which did not disappoint and for its’ snorkeling, which did. The coastal waters were generally murky or devoid of fish, one must hire a speedboat outt o the reefs to see anything significant Many of the best beaches are inaccessible as they are walled off by heavily guarded resorts catering to French and Indian tourists.

A closeup of Cascade de Chamarel , 100 meters high.

Seafood curries are excellent , a mix of Indian and French influence.

The Mauritius Rupee is currently 46.5 to the USD. In general prices are moderately lower than the US and Western Europe

The waters are very tranquil around most of the island. About 5 to 7 km offshore, a giant reef blocks giant Indian Ocean waves.

Mauriius was TotalAdventure’s 99th country. Becuse of airline schedules I spent a little longerthere than I would have liked, but it was a nice rest

Next stop was Madagascar. We stopped in France along the way and yet the whole trip is only 3 hours.Réunion , in the middle of the Indian Ocean is a French Department, as much a part of France as Paris. The main reason to visit would be to get away from a cold European winter.

WARTCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

Crossing enemy lines by air, from Armenia to Azerbaijan via Georgia, TotalAdventure landed in Baku mid day Saturday April 27th.

The immigration officer at Baku asked why I had been in Armenia and the answer was tourism business. The passport was duly stamped , this is surely a common acccurence. At least 5 other people on the Tbilisi -Baku flight had transited from the Yerevan–Tbilisi flight.

2 Flights from Yerevan, First, a 30 minute flight North to Tbilisi on Georgian Airways. . Then an 1.5 hour hour flight to Baku on Azerbaijan Airways.

The first thing one notices when entering the oil-rich city is theincredinle buildings – ;like a mini-Dubai. Here is the Hotel Crescent Architect Andrew Burns.

TotalAdventure stayed at the Fairmont in the Flaming Towers. Arounf US 250 a night, a fraction of the price in New York. In the foreground is Mosque of the Martyrs, built by the Turkish government in the 1990s soon after the Soviet collapse.

I had hoped to enjoy Caspian Caviar , as far as TotalAdventure is concerned the only real икра – Ikra, as it’s called in Russian. InTurkmenistan we hadabouta half pound for US 45 back in 2019. THisis farm raised sturgeon and very expensive. The eggs look oerfect, and the eggy taste is mild. Supposedly the ral thing will not beavailable for anouther 15 years – fishing was shut down due to population crash. However Iran and Turkmenistan produce very small amounts.

As of this writing the Azerbaijan Manat is 1.69 to the US $. Azerbaijan is a upper middle class country and prices are similar to the US or Western Europe, though high end hotels and restaurants are lower priced.

Soviet World War Two Memorial Monument.

View from the Fairmont in Flaming Towers. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE TO SEE THE TOWERS FLAME !

The Azeris area patriotic people – aligned with Turkey, with bitter memories of Soviet occupation. The ongoing war with neighboring Armenia is a result of Soviet redrawing of national borders.

The cuisine – much like Turkish ,with a hint of Persian and Russian – is deliciousa nd healthy. Here isa sampling of Caspian seafood.

Egg in pita – amazing. Bürek.

Lamb. Food is Halal in the predominately Islamic nation, though alcohol is widely available.

The Old City – Sultan’s Palace.

A grave. Before the Soviets arrived, Arabic script was used, just as in Turkey. Now a modified Latin alphabet replaces Cyrillic. Turkish and Azerbaijani are very similar and people can understand one another.

Early 20th Century.

TotalAdventure has swum in all 4 Oceans – as well as many seas – which are part of , or attached to the major oceans. The Caspian Sea connects to no other body of water. Though 100 km long and 320 km wide ( 750 X 200 miles in American measurement) , the Sea is really the world’s largest lake. Like a lake there are no tides . The salinity is only 1/3 of the average ocean. Under the sea floor is much oil and gas – enriching the surrounding nations. I swam in relatively clean waters south of Baku,.

On the morning of Tuesday April 30th = TotalAdventure flew to the Azores, via Istanbul and Lisbon.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

On April 22 TotalAdventure departed Tbilisi by auto, with the driver from British Hotel. Before leaving Tbilisi, there were a few stops to pick up necessary documents for crossing the border.

From Tbilisi to Yerevan is about 300 km, taking around 5 hours, including time crossing the border.

Armenia – Country Number 97 For TotalAdventure.

Shortly after the border crossing we had a bit of a detour. The driver received a text warning that Azeri soldiers had made an incursion into Armenian territory. The war has been on and off for over 30 years – since the breakup of the Soviet Union. The next road we went on was closed for about 30 minutes due to a farmer’s demonstration. In all delays were about 90 minutes. It was later reported one Azeri soldier was killed. Above, the peaceful image of winter’s snow receding in the strong spring sunshine.

TotalAdventure’s hotel was right off Republic Square – a grand plaza of Government buildings, libraries and museums.

A delicious dinner at Kavkazia – beginning with Dolma.

Followed by Borsht and then Shashleek. Armenian cuisine is hearty – a crossroads of various Empires – Russian,Turkish, Persian,Greek.

Armenian Dram. As of this writing, the Dram is 387 to the US Dollar. Overall the country is lower priced than the US and Western Europe. A good meal for 2 in a top restaurant, with wine would be about US $ 60, about a tenth of that in a common locals canteen.

Mt.Ararat in Eastern Turkey. It is where Noah landed the Ark after the Great Flood. The mountain is sacred in Christianity,Islam and Judaism. Though only 53km ( 32mi) distant as the crow flies – to drive is 547 km since the Turkish border has been closed since 1991 -one must circumnavigate through Georgia to get there. At nearly 17,000 feet, 5800m the mountain is snowcapped for eternity.

The Cascade – 672 steps with the 40th Anniversary of Soviet Armenia Monument at the top. TotalAdventure climbed it effortlessly on a 29 C day.

Author of a a favorite childhood book “My Name is Aram.”

Artist and Director Sergei Paradjanov pictured at his home, now a museum.

Paradjanov Artwork.

Paradjanov Artwork.

In may places throughout the city – memorials to soldiers killed in the ongoing war with Azerbaijan.

Russian TV is prominent. TotalAdventure watched Rossiya 24 – like a Russian verion of Fox.

Rossiya 24 previewing things to come. TotalAdventure is self taught to read Cyrillic – very helpful in Russia ,the Balkans ,Mongolia and the post Soviet world in general.

TotalAdventure often hires a car with driver in many countries, in order to film and photograph the countryside. In Armenia that was prohibitively expensive, so I rented a Chevy SUV for $ 35 a day.

The main mission was to visit ancient churches and monasteries. Taking information from an online guide, I pasted the locations in Google Maps on my MacBook Pro and then sent the resulting map to my iPhone. This map – Bluetoothed on my dashboard screen- was my tour guide throughout the next two days of exploration. These features will soon be embedded in our new engine – adventuretravel.ai

All the monasteries are featured in THE VIDEO AT THE TOP.

Mother Stork Is Expecting ! Or perhaps feeding the little ones.

The Soviet bus seems to be a 1950s relic – but it’s from 1987.

Remains of Zvartnots Cathedral.

1300 hrs. Armenia is GMT + 4 – 2 hours ahead of Western Europe and 8 hours ahead of New York.

Poppies – a popular flower in nearby countries.

Interior Cathedral.

Hovhannavank – The Catholicos of Armenia.

A church on a forested mountaintop.

Overlooking Lake Sevan. SEE THE VIDEO AT THE TOP !

St,Gregory – who was imprisoned in complete darkness in a snake pit for 13 years !

Also overlooking Lake Sevan is the Writer’s Hotel. Built around 1960, it is a classic example of Soviet Brutalist architecture.

After years of abandonment, it is now reopening as a hotel – the views are beautiful, the rooms basic, for about $ 35 a night. And writers won’t have to write about the glories of Lenin and Marx.

Final stop to gas up the rental ! The next morning TotalAdventure flew around enemy lines to Baku.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

On April 16th, TotalAdventure boarded Turkish Airlines from Miami to Tbilisi Georgia on a one- way ticket. The reason for the one -way ticket will be discussed in the Armenia and Azerbaijan chapters to follow, but it had to do with visiting currently peaceful ,yet potentially volatile areas in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The highlight of my 6 hour layover in Istanbul Airport was Nusr-Et’s amazing $45 cheeseburger. It was quaffed with an icy cold Efes Beer.

After flying day and night and another half of a night, TotalAdventure arrivrd in Tbiisi at 3 AM. Immigration took seconds. Waiting for me was a driver from the excellent small inn British House. I dozed from about 5 AM till 11 and then hit the ground in my hiking boots.

The first graffiti I read on the street. The populace is pro-Europe ,and the nation was grated Candidate Status to join the EU this past December. However, the government, perhaps out of fear – leans pro Russia. Georgians are naturally wary of their large northern neighbor that has already captured nearly half their territory in earlier wars. As of this writing , Parlaimentt just passed a pro-Russian foreign agent law, threatening further integration with the EU.

Holy Trinity Cathedral is on top a high hill overlooking the city. For a view of city sights be sure to view VIDEO AT TOP OF PAGE !

Putin is not so popular in Tbilisi.

Lots of cool grafitti in the streets.

Many quiet squares thoughout the vibrant and fashionable city. The young crowds seem more Parisian than Muscovite.

Noisy Protests Almost Nightly. Some fear that another Trump Presidency would result in a carte blanche handover of Georgia to Putin.

Delicious Kinkhali as an appetizer.

Followed by a lamb stew.

A sparky stove !

Do not know the name but amazingly tasty !

Riverboat style architecture.

A modern bridge over the Kura River which flows from Eastern Turkey to the Caspian Sea.

Holy Trinity in the distance.

TotalAdventure’s Room At British House. 2 Rooms , actually, plus a small balcony. About 75 US.

Georgia Lari. 2.78 to 1 USD as of this writing.

The next stop was Gorki ,birthplace of Comrade Josef Stalin, Dictator of the Soviet Union from 1922 until his death in 1953. Dictators love to pose with children. Thanks to Stalin, millions of children were orphaned when both their parents were sent off to slave labor in the Siberian Gulags. The children themselves grew up in orphanages where they could be brainwashed to be obedient little Party cadres.

HIs death was secretly celebrated by many. Shortly afterwards some liberalization from an ablsolute police state began.

1930s Exection Squads.

See Stalin’s Train Car IN THE VIDEO AT TOP OF PAGE.

From the plans of central Georgia, we drove to 3000meters elevation into the Caucasus Mountains, highest in Europe,

The view of Mt.Xazhgebi by night. At over 5000 meters , it is half in Russia.

On the side of bi-national Mt.Xazhgebi,is Holy Trinity, dating from the 1300s.Winter snows are subsiding in late April.

Light From The. Heavens.

Gudauri Ski Resort is very high, over 3000m in most areas and goes on for many kilometers. In late April the season was ending, the higher peaks were off limits due to avalanche danger from the strong spring sunshine. Georgians, Russians ,Germans and Americans all ski together peacefully.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

In January TotalAdventure returned to Fairbanks,Alaska, North America’s Northernmost and Westernmost City ,less than 100 miles below the Arctic Circle and just under 700 miles from Russia.

Martin Zuver , Total Adventure Marketing for Alaska ,Canada and until recently the Russian Far East, lives in Fairbanks year round. Russian Far East destinations are on hold till further notice.

When TotalAdventure last visited in June there was 24 hours of daylight. In mid January the sun rises at 10:30 and sets at 3:20. This picture was taken at 9:45 AM. The day is already an hour longer than the solstice 3 weeks earlier.

Sunset 3:20 PM.

The temperature was -31 F, -35 C when departing for the Lower 48. A few days later it was – 50 F, -45 C. While cold, that was nowhere near the record of -66 F.

Icy – an 8 month old Alaskan Husky – is right at home in the powdery snow. Sled dogs prefer a snow bed and rarely use their dog houses.

Downtown Fairbanks. Population 32,700.

Barbequeing Excellent Alaskan Beef In -20 temperature. Fire has to be very hot.

Mid Day sun on the horizon.

Fairbanks is closer to Oslo than New York – it’s a 6 hour hop over the North Pole.

Spicy the Hemingway Cat. He spends the winter indoors.

Oddly – my eye did not catch the Aurora,but the camera did !

Other Natural phenomena _ A 5.3 Quake occurred just as I was finishing up a video conference in my 7th floor hotel room at 12:34 PM Alaska time. The huge cement building swayed from side to side. A cup fell off a sink, luckily plastic. When I walked to the window to look out ,the floor felt like bouncy foam. There was no damage in the city, but it was the biggest in the interior in about 20 years. Coastal and island Alaska is the northern rim of the Ring of Fire and has some of the world’s largest earthquakes and tsunamis. A 9.2 on Easter Sunday 1964 in Anchorage destroyed the city and killed hundreds. 100 foot tsunamis washed way entire villages and fishing docks.

-24 And Sunny.

The weather necessitates engine block heaters – cars are plugged in when parked for more than a couple hours.

20,000 ft. Mt.McKinley ( Denali) 12 miles to the south.

Swimming In -8 air. Water is 106 – the Cheena Hot Springs.SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE AT TOP OF PAGE !

A Cozy Night At Thirty Below.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !!

TotalAdventure’s Final Stop On September’s East Asia Voyage Was Taiwan – Republic of China. I have been to Mainland China 5 times and several times to Hong Kong and Macau , including when they were British and Portuguese Colonies. Taiwan was different in two ways – it is a Democracy, though not on the level of Europe or the USA. It is also uncrowded – only 30 million people – which is far smaller than several Mainland Cities. For several years Taiwan has been “on the list” but now due to increasing tensions across the Straits ( as little as 80 miles ,120 km) ) the time to go might be now. TotalAdventure thinks it’s highly unlikely that that Beijing would attack Taipei – the economic and political fallout would be massive – but the same was said about Putin and Ukraine. Unfortunately the rule of travel these days, for many parts of the world, is to go now, while one has the chance. TotalAdventure explored Tigray extensively in early 2020- just before COVID and then a horrific genocidal war later that year. Of course , War Tourism is now a thing – a dangerous form of adventure. On this trip – Taiwan was peaceful – though often with the roar of fighter jets in the background. The island is surrounded by PRC Battleships and Coast Guard – sometimes only 30 miles, 50 km from the shore.

Money Cat is revered all over the Chinese Diaspora.

Tower 101 was the tallest building in the world 20 years ago. It is now the 10th tallest.

Some interesting architecture from 553 meters.

The Taiwanese Dollar is 31 to the US Dollar. Prices are moderately lower than the USA. Simple meals as low as $ 6 , comfortable hotel is $ 80 and luxury hotel about $ 140. (US) 100 mile 160 km fast train,$ 5.

Confucius centered Buddhism is the main religion.

Old teachings are adapted for modern life – the pursuit of success.

One of the main reasons to explore Taiwan is for the food – different , and not as exotic as Sichuanese or Cantonese , but equally as tasty. Above,Black Meat Chicken.

Very Spicy pork noodle soup.

Hot Pot.

Seasoned Scallops.

Shrimp That Were Jumping 10 Minutes Before.

Looking a lot like Ballyhoo bait fish from Florida and the Bahamas. But very tasty grilled.

“Aboriginal” Lunch.

A strange fruity dessert.

The Nationalist Flag of Kuomintang China.

From Taipei , TotalAdventure traveled by train to Xincheng, on the East Coast. The Deep Blue Pacific was calm and beautiful.

The local population, having experienced many typhoons and a few tsunamis is quite fearful of the sea, and few swim. It is a pity , because the sea, in late September , is clear and warm. TotalAdventure did swim, albeit with some caution.

Near Xincheng is Taroko National Park. One needs a car to explore – TotalAdventure hired a taxi for the whole day for 2500 NT$, about 80 US.

Massive water volume bursts through the canyons . Though the weather was dry – the rivers run fast from the ending rainy season.

The climate is subtropical with hot summers and mild winters. On the highest mountain tops some snow falls in winter.

Oriental Ambience.

On the last evening in Taipei, TotalAdventure climbed the Tomb of Chiang Kai-shek. He ruled the breakaway Republic until his death at age 87 in 1975.

The Long Flight To SFO. 11 Hours. Left Sunday Night and Arrived Sunday Afternoon.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

ABOVE : KAESONG NORTH KOREA

On September 15th TotalAdventure flew Jeju Air from Sapporo to Seoul. Japan has a higher standard of living than the USA and South Korea is close. Both have recovered from total destruction and destitution over the 70 to 80 years. What is shocking about Korea is that a man made line splits one country between one of the wealthiest and progressive societies in the world, across from the poorest and most repressive. Above, we look across that line.

TotalAdventure stayed at the beautful Hotel Entra Gangnam, in the famous neighbirhood of the same name, Seoul has a population of just under 10 million. The View. Gangam is the trendy shopping and dining neighborhood know for ” Gangam Style.”

Gyeongbokgung Palace dates from 1395. The complex once had 7000 rooms ,but was mostly destroyed in the Japanese Occupation. The grounds are slowly being restored.

A Pagoda view not unfamiliar throughout East Asia.

On Saturdays people like to dress up in traditional attire. Costumes can be rented.

An Effigy of A Court Official.

Clerks & Bureaucrats.

Worship of Lord Buddha. The ceremony is Confucian and can be observed when you WATCH THE INTRODUCTORY VIDEO AT TOP OF PAGE.

The Korea War Museum is massive .The war is central to both Koreas and both sides profess to reunite some day, hopefully not if the war reignites. The monument signifies the split and atop, two brothers, from each side, meet in battle and briefly hug before returning to killing each other.

North Korean MIG and prop plane.

This Soviet Limo was a gift to Kim Il Sung – the Great Leader. It was captured by US troops and given as a gift to the the widow of a US Army Colonel killed in battle. Now in the War Museum.

The war is embedded into society.

Food is a major reason to visit South Korea. Above is octopus in ink and seaweed.

Haejangguk – A hot and filling soup for breakfast, accompanied by dumplings.

Beef Bulgogi grilled tabletop , along with many dishes including spicy kimchi.

K Pop stars at the top pf Lotte Tower – at 1855 feet, 583 m the 5th tallest building in the world. WATCH THE VIDEO AT TOP OF PAGE.

The main ficus of TotalAdventure’s visit to Korea was to visit the Demilitarized Zone – The DMZ the line where the two Koreas, still at war ( USA included) observe a tense truce. The main mission was to visit Panmunjom where North Korean,South Korean and US soldiers face only inches away from each other. However, that was closed due tot the foolish deserter Travis King, running over the line.Repatriated by the North – he is now in a Texas military prison awaiting charges in desertion punishable up to death by firing squad), as well as child porn.

Through a telescope, the city of Kaesong North Korea. From Mt.Dora we were about 5 miles 8 km away.

Also pictured at the top of the page, the sign praises Great and Dear Leaders.

DMZ Rice paddies.

The South Korea Won is currently 1354 to the US Dollar. This translates to moderate prices ,slightly cheaper than the USA.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

On September 5th, 2023, TotalAdventure departed Newark Airport for Tokyo ,Japan. Returning for the first time since January,2019, we landed at Haneda Airport on the south side of the city – with convenient metro lines that connect everywhere. The main focus of the trip was to take part in the 2023 Adventure Travel World Summit in Hokkaido.

After a quick rest and wash up at my beautiful Hotel, it was off to the back alleys of Shibuya Crossing to dine in a couple of the many excellent and tiny food establishments.

As I’ve been to Tokyo quite a few times, I decided this visit would focus on the metropolis’ many culinary delights.

Ramen is always a good staple after a long flight.

Succulent Mackerel  .

5000 Yen is US $ 34. There will be change. Tipping forbidden.

Around 11 the bar scene begins. There are hundreds of these little places, often with only 4 or 5 seats. Whisky is the drink of choice. Let the bartender invite you in, as foreigners are not always welcome – the reason being that they can’t take part in the intimate conversations. I had no problem, but could not add to the conversation.

The next morning I took the Hibiya Line to Tsukiji Fish Market. The market is famous for early morning auctions of the world’s most expensive and perfect blocks of tuna. However, it is now a sanitized experience viewed from afar. At a soup stall, I began with a small bowl of organ meats with scallions and soft boiled egg, some cold tea to wash it down.

At another stall, one of many hundreds, I had insanely fresh sashimi – different cuts of fatty tuna, salmon roe and uni. 1200 yen, about $ 9.

A more exotic assortment , including very high grade fatty tuna – melts like butter. Also whelks and abalone.

A real treat – giant cold fresh oysters with uni.

Quite satiated, TotalAdventure attended the Kabuki Theater. No photo or video of the actual performance is allowed, so this is of the theater and stage. The plays are many hours long, an entire afternoon. However, you can buy a ticket for just one act – about 30 or 40 minutes. All the actors are male, even for the female roles. The characters have had a lot of influence in the development of Pokemon and the beginning of the Anime culture.

Just after a mild typhoon.

5 AM Sunrise from my 40th floor hotel room at the Century Southern in Shinjuku. Please see some photos and videos from past trips to Tokyo, here on TotalAdventure Magazine.

On Sunday September 10th, I flew on JetStar from Narita to Sapporo. TotalAdventure was taking part in The Adventure Travel World Summit. Every year the Summit is held in a different location. Last year it was in Switzerland and next year will be in Panama. The Summit was supposed to be in Sapporo in 2021, but was postponed due to COVID lockdowns. Do see 2019 posts from Japan – in January 2019 the city was covered under several meters of snow, as it is every winter. But now, in mid September, the weather was humid and in the 80s – 29 C.

JAP-POW !

Before the Summit began, we were treated to a Day of Adventure. We went on the Furano Geo Adventure which included road biking in the morning and climbing into the Furano Crater, located in Central Hokkaido in the afternoon.

The volcano is currently dormant , but there are many steam vents letting out the heat of the Earth. Thirty summers prior- TotalAdventure explored similar terrain in nearby Kamchatka Russia – also in the Pacific Rim of Fire. Look back into the Russian archives in TotalAdventure Magazine.

With the very helpful and patient crew !

Our great hike leaders.

Wagyu Beef for lunch.

Bucolic Country Barn.

Rich Volcanic Soil For Farming. Everything Impeccably Clean.

The ATTA and ourHokkaido Hosts, had a great welcoming party for us at the site of the 1972 Winter Olympics. There were actual jumpers skiing down the astroturf . Snow won’t start until November.

View From The Top. Rumor has it that Winter Olympics will return to Sapporo in 2030.

The Summit was very productive and many new companies with hundreds of trips will soon join the TotalAdventure Platform.

On Friday,September 15th, TotalAdventure boarded Jeju Air from Sapporo to Seoul ,South Korea for the next phase of the East Asian Adventure.