WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

On November 2, TotalAdventure departed Miami on Air Europa bound for Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands. After a 3 hour layover in Madrid, the there was a 3 hour flight to Tenerife, changing the clock back one hour to GMT.

The Canaries are a chain of volcanic islands about 100 mile, 160 s km off the coast of Morocco. While Spain is located in the Iberian Peninsula of Southern Europe, the country is also is on the African continent in the Enclaves of Ceuta and Melia ,surrounded by Moroccan territory. The Canary Islands erupted from the volcanic Mid Atlantic Ridge, although it is not quite the mid Atlantic, like the Azores, Iceland or Tristan da Cunha. The climate is moderate, subtropical and dry, influenced by the nearby Sahara. While the Atlantic offers year round swimming and surfing, the peak of El Tiede is covered with snow in winter.

Upon arrival at Aeropuerto Tenerife Norte I was transported to Hotel Silken Saaj Maar. in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This is the view from my room .It’s fun to ride the waves in the rock pools below.

In the evening we toured the center of Santa Cruz.

Baptismal Font.

Fresh tuna is landed daily in the island’s many harbors.

A subtropical night in the Eastern Atlantic.

The next morning, November 4th, after an invigorating swim in the waves of the rock pool below the hotel, our group left for the seaside town of Garachico. Before touring the town and inspecting some great boutique hotels, TotalAdventure rode bigger waves in volcanic rock chutes there. SEE THE VIDEO AT THE TOP OF THE ARTICLE.

We then went to the lovely Hotel San Roque.

We enjoyed a poolside lunch of local Canarian delicacies.

After lunch we drove from sea level to over 2000 meters in the Chinyero region. From the volcanic forest we could look down upon the ocean and to islands beyond.

Volcanic El Tiede is 3718 Meters ( 12188 ft.) and until recently spewed out hot lava ,taking over many parts of the island. The last big eruption took place in 1909 – a split second in geological time. SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE OF THE LAVA IN THE FOREST FROM THE 1798 ERUPTION.

1798 Lava Flow.

On Wednesday November 5th with checked out of our hotel in Santa Cruz and drove high up into the misty mountains of Parque Anaga. SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE. While Tenerife has very little rain, passing clouds leave mist on the trees making the forest green.

Ferns grow along the forest floor,giving an appearance of a rainforest in a desert climate.

A truly exotic part of Spain. The islands are part of Spain like Hawaii is part of the United States.

Park Information.

Later we stopped to explore the town of San Cristóbal de La Laguna,

A pre-lunch pickup -A Barraquito – coffee with condensed milk and Licor 43.

Bananas are the main cash crop of Tenerife, supplying all of Europe.

Sunset over the cliffs of Tenerife Sur.

The next day our group was supposed to kayak along the cliffs, but high wave warnings caused cancellation. KAYAKING FOOTAGE IN THE VIDEO AT TOP OF ARTICLE.

For our last two nights our group checked into the Hotel Mynd Adeje..TotalAdventure had a very comfortable room, fast wifi,and ocean view, two pools – one on the rooftop and dinner served until Midnight – a reason I love Spain.

A excellent and healthy dinner.

On our final day, November 6, we ventured again into Parque Nacional El Tiede.

The mountain in early November. 5 weeks later it was covered in 1.5 meters of snow.

A high desert landscape, sometimes snow covered in winter. One can be in the snow in the morning and swimming at a warm sunny beach in afternoon.

In volcanic areas there is no uniform landscape. Random rock formations are created according to lava flow.

Tenerife is 2.5 to 3 hours from Madrid. At this time there are no direct flights from North America., but easy connections are made through European capitals. TotalAdventure left Miami on a Sunday night and was in Madrid the next morning, in Tenerife by afternoon on Air Europa.

Special Thanks To Our Host Tenerife Tourist Office.

Special Thanks To Our Guide Dario López !

Special Thanks To Newlink España . They represent top tourist destinations, including Tenerife,La Palma Malta,Peru,Qatar .Jordan, South Korea and Hungary.

TotalAdventure invites active adventure companies to post packages in our marketplace. Go to TotalAdventure Website and click BECOME PROVIDER.

TotalAdventure invita a empresas de aventura activa a publicar sus paquetes en nuestro mercado. Vaya TotalAdventure y Clique BECOME PROVIDER.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

On the cold spring morning of October 4th TotalAdventure arrived in Santiago, Chile on the way to three separate adventures in the 6000 kilometer long nation. After spending the weekend with a boarding school friend, I was joined a pre-Adventure of the Adveneture Travel World Summit in Cajon de Maipo , a beautiful mountain region just west of Santiago. The theme was adventure in the countryside, followed by two days of exploring Chile’s capitol.

Our Adventure Crew. Names and links to companies will soon be listed here.

Our first activity was rafting down the Rio Maipo. The rapids were fast, about Class 3 ,withspring snowmelt from the glacial mountains. The runoff is dark with sediment and doesn’t slow down until summer in December. Company : NatExplora. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE FOR EXCELLENT RAFTING FOOTAGE !

That night we drove up to 2500 meters to observe the Southern Hemispher stars – three times as many as are visible in the Northern Hemisphere. While I was not able to capture photos through the telescope lens – I did see the rings of Saturn for the first time !

The next morning was canyoneering – rappelling down the side of waterfalls .

We drove high into the valleys ,where strong October spring sunshine melted the snow above. Just a few days before the snow levels had reached down to our level.

A panorama shot of the valley.

Though were are at 9000 feet, 2700m the terrain was once part of a seabed.

Evening festivities at the local community center of Maipo.

Like the USA, German heritage is common in Chile.

In a small valley village.

East towards the glaciers.

Our group enjoyed many local festivities and the excellent wine of the region. Soft adventure here.

A view from the room at Cascada de Las Ánimas. Much like a treehouse looking at the surrounding forest and mountains, with decent WiFi.

The very cold pool which apparently warms in summer.

We descended from the mountains to the vineyards.One of the world’s largest producers – Santa Rita.

They have a historic museum with ancient Inca artifacts – Here – a cuy.

Nearly 40 years old !

The hotel features a billiards room.

A chapel.

A gourmand dining room.

A lunch worthy of a Michelin Star.

A palette to Japan.

After lunch , a tasting of the whites. We had Tinto ( Red) with lunch.

We arrived back in the capitol on time for sunset from the top of Latin America’s tallest tower – Sky Costañera – 300 meters – 980feet 82 stories tall. Impressive for a major earthquake zone ! VIIEW THE VIDEO AT THE TOP !

From the 82nd Floor of Sky Costañera.

La Moneda – The Presidential Palace.

Many Cathedrals dominate this Catholic City.

On Sunday, October 12, predawn transport to the airport, thistime the domestic side, for our 4000 km 4 hour flight to Puerto Natales for the Adventure Travel World Summit.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

On Sunday October 12 TotalAdventure soared over the Andes, above the Patagonian Icefields , the world’s largest in the temperate zones, for a 4 hour flight from Santiago to Puerto Natales.

Over 700 delegates from all 7 continents flew in to this remote spot on the Planet to take part in the 20th Adventure Travel World Summit . TotalAdventure took part as a buyer. We buy trips to sell to our worldwide following of adventurers. TotalAdventure has been to over half of the ATWS events – Seattle 2006, Whistler 2007, São Paulo 2008, Lucerne 2012, Swakopmund 2013, Puerto Varas 2015, Anchorage 2016,Salta 2017, Gothenburg 2019,Sapporo 2023 and now, Puerto Natales for 2025. 2026 is in Quebec City.

Shannon Stowell is Our Leader. of the Adventure Travel Trade Association. He estimates about 50,000 Adventure Travel leaders have taken part in events over the years. The industry is estimated to generate $1.16 Trillion in revenue annually worldwide generating many millions of jobs. Tourism is the 2nd largest source of jobs in many countries, especially poorer ones. The ATTA’s message is one of sustainability . Travel enterprises should have minimal effect on the environment, recycle and reuse whenever possible, hire local people as guides and storytellers. Most members are small entrepreneurial companies.

One of the main events at ATWS is the marketplace. Agents and providers meet each other to sell amazing worldwide experiences.TotalAdventure had 30 meetings leading to 18 new listings. Here I meet with Pia Abboud of Discovery Beyond Borders, Lebanon.

I first came to the Far South of Patagonia in February, 1991. I drove to Puerto Natales from Rio Gallegos, Argentina. I was one of 5 cars to cross the border that day. This photo is on Glaciar Moreno in El Calfate, Argentina. 35 years later, I am happy to report that the nature has not been changed much – due to strict and well planned conservation and sustainable tourism. Of course there are many more hotels, restaurants and tour companies catering to adventurous travelers from all over the world. Also technology is far more advanced. That’s a Sony Hi-8 video camera – considered quite advanced for the time with 480 lines . I had a custom made battery belt that powered it all day. To edit, I had to rent a $ 200 per hour studio in New York. Now I shoot on a GoPro 12 with up to 5300 lines and edit on my MacBook Air with FinalCut Pro.

My next trip here, in September 2022 , for Adventure Next took me on the 4 day W Trek. You can read about it HERE.

TotalAdventure has explored 106 countries. Torres del Paine is perhaps the most beautiful place on Earth. Torres del Paine is the broken end of the Andes, stretching 12000 miles North to Alaska via the Rockies.

Empty land makes for pure mountain rivers going from glacier, to lake to river to another lake and eventually into the icy Pacific.

The water runs very fast and very cold. SEE THE VIDEO AT THE TOP OF THE ARTICLE.

Tens of thousands of gallons per minute.

ATWS held a huge welcoming party at Torres del Paine National Park. A huge asado of local lamb was amazing – eaten right off the bone, Large helpings of pisco helped attendees endure the numbing cold, rain and sleet.

For our entertainment – Chile’s top band – Los Jaivas !

A small cottage along the fjords of Puerto Natales. Firewood is needed year round.

The weather never truly warms up due to proximity to Antarctica and a frigid ocean. He we see the southernmost reaches of the Pacific Ocean. When people think of the South Pacific, they imagine palm fringed tropical paradises. Not here. October is spring but still 3 C with 60 kph winds. The fjords often have floating ice chunks . wWnter lows in July can be -22C 0 F and in summer rarely goes above 22 C 72 F.

51 43 South.

Parihuela- a seafood stew of local delicacies.

Swans and their offspring.

Downtown Puerto Natales.

From Puerto Natales it is not possible to drive to the rest of the country without driving though Argentina. Navimag Ferries take cars and people on an amazing two day journey to Puerto Montt through stunning fjords.

From Puerto Natales, TotalAdventure flew North to Puerto Montt for the third and final phase of Adventures in Chile.

A one hour flight from Tunis, Tunisia on Tunisair Express returned TotalAdventure to the European Union . Malta, 3 islands between Europe and North Africa is truly a crossroads of geography and culture. The islands , only a couple hundred kilometers from the Sahara, have a near desert landscape and climate, though there are some moderate winter rains. The currency is the Euro, but prices are a bit lower than the Continent. The language is a mix of Arabic and Sicilian .Maltese is the only Semitic language written in the Latin alphabet.

Back In Schengen.

Not long after TotalAdventure checked into the hotel in Sliema, I Ubered to St.Peter’s Pool, a beautiful rocky cove with crashing waves, clear blue water and cliffs for diving SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE.

Three are amazing beaches on all 3 islands The best are remote ,where a hike is also part of the deal. The snorkeling and diving can be experienced in THE VIDEO.

Many Roman style structures in Malta are not necessarily Roman. This is the Malta Stock Exchange, built in the 1870s.

Though close to the shores of the Islamic World, Malta is 99% Catholic. Above is the Church of the Madonna of Lourdes on a mountain above the Gozo Harbour.

Interior Of The Church.

The Gozo Fast Ferry takes 45 minutes from Valletta to Gozo. Unfortunately there is no outdoor space, but it is fast ! One can also board a ferry to Sicily – only 1 hour 45 minutes. By air it’s one hour to Tunis or Tripoli,Libya.

Flying In To Malta.

A Roadside Shrine in Valletta.

A Friday Wedding In Style !

At St.John’s Co-Cathedral.

Commissioned in 1572 by Grand Master Jean de la Cassière as the conventual church of the Knights of St. John, replacing earlier churches used by the Order.Architect Girolamo (Ġlormu) Cassar, Malta’s leading military engineer, led its Mannerist-style design and oversaw construction between 1573 and 1577, with final touches in 1578 Replaced the Church of St. Lawrence in Vittoriosa as the main worship site for the Order.

Originally simple, the interior was richly redecorated in the 1660s by Grand Master Raphael Cotoner, executed by Mattia Preti and colleagues, aiming to rival Roman churches

Features include illusionistic frescoes, carved gilt walls, and intricate marble tombstone floors commemorating knights

• 1798: French occupation expelled the Knights; church’s status grew.
• 1816: Elevated to co‑cathedral by papal decree, sharing Malta’s episcopal seat with St. Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina .
• The British era brought attempts to convert it into a Protestant church, but opposition led to its co‑cathedral status being reaffirmed .

• 1798: French occupation expelled the Knights; church’s status grew.
• 1816: Elevated to co‑cathedral by papal decree, sharing Malta’s episcopal seat with St. Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina .
• The British era brought attempts to convert it into a Protestant church, but opposition led to its co‑cathedral status being reaffirme

• Internally, one of Europe’s finest examples of High Baroque architecture—a lavish contrast to its austere exterior .
• Its floors and walls commemorate centuries of Malta’s Knights, making it both a house of worship and a national memorial .

• Continues to function as a living church, welcoming both worshippers and art-lovers.

Fort St.Elmo , overlooking the entrance to the Port, houses a museum chronicling Malta’s many wars. Above, a bunker overlooking the Mediterranean ready to fire on German and Italian vessels crossing from Sicily.

A captured Nazi Helmet.

Malta has been fighting off invaders from. all sides for thousands of years. Since 1964 they have been a free and sovereign nation.

One cannot leave Malta without savoring the national dish – Rabbit Stew !

Malta, an EU Member, uses the Euro. Currently the Euro is worth US $ 1.18 putting prices on a par with the USA and lower than Northern Europe.

From Malta TotalAdventure returned to Miami via Frankfurt on Lufthansa ending an amazing journey from Miami to Paris to Algeria,Tunisia and Malta.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT THE TOP OF THE ARTICLE !

On April 21, TotalAdventure flew from Miami to Campos Grande, Brazil , the Capital of the State of Mato Grosso Do Sul, via Sǎo Paulo. Our international group of travel industry buyers, suppliers and journalists was hosted by the Adventure Travel Trade Association , Estado do Mato Grosso do Sul, Adventure Travel companies in our host town of Bonito and EMBRATUR for Adventure Elevate Latin America 2025.

Our first morning out of Campo Grande, our team rappeled down the Inferninho Waterfall. We literally came through the waterfall! WATCH THE VIDEO UP TOP TO EXPERIENCE !

Afterwards we had a scenic 3 hour drive to Bonito. Along the way we saw a herd of capybara walking and feeding in a vast field by the highway. Capybaras are the world’s largest rodent at up to 150 pounds or 68 kilos. Unlike their undesirable smaller cousins, the grass eating capybara are friendly. Their range is from the Amazon to Patagonia.

From a great distance we observed an anteater. Photos of this elusive creature are hard to get. They live on ants and termites and are prey for jaguars and pumas. Their range is from Honduras to northern Argentina.

We also saw ostriches. A bit smaller than the African version ( about 2 meters in height) the Southern Hemisphere birds are known as Rhea in South America.

Our leader Rogerio Alves with the propetieress of Bacuri Restaurant, one of the many amazing restaurants in Bonito. It has specialties like Brazilian Picanha steak and grilled local river fish including Pacu. Rogerio is a Bonito native who is an amazing guide. his knowledge and expertise of the region are limitless. You can check out his information HERE.

Thursday April 24th was a fascinating day underground . In the morning our group descended down hundreds of stone steps into the Gruto do Lago Azul.

Ancient stalactites hang from the ceilings.

Looking out and up to the jungle above.

That afternoon was an experience like no other – Abismo Anhumas ! One is lowered 72 meters ( 234 feet) by a powered rappel almost like a rope elevator. It is dark, eerie and silent in the subterranean underworld. The lake reminded me of the River Styx, in Greek mythology, where spirits cross into Hades. Video was difficult ,as the GoPro does not do well in the dark. Nevertheless you will see some interesting footage in the VIDEO UP TOP.

Unfortunate animals, such as deer have sometimes fallen down the hole, which is not easily found in the forest.

Once in the cave we donned wetsuits and snorkeled in the dark waters. Some people scuba dived many meters below.

The next morning we were off for a day at Boca Da Onça .It was a day of hiking through the sometimes rainy forest, rappelling 90 meters down a cliff and swimming by amazing waterfalls. VIDEO UP TOP will portray these experiences in detail.

The final day we snorkeled in the the Rio Da Prata. The above photo is from a nearby waterfall. The Rio da Prata has the world’s best freshwater snorkeling in the clearest waters of the world. It is like a giant aquarium where one swims and floats for several kilometers. THE VIDEO UP TOP OPENS WITH INCREDIBLE UNDERWATER SCENES OF FISH IN THE RIO DA PRATA.

And finally it was time ot get down to business – the Business of Adventure Travel and Ecotourism. Gabriella Stowelll opened the Adventure Elevate Latin America Conference. Gabriella, who hails from Brazil, now resides in Colorado with her husband Shannon Stowell, President and Founder of the ATTA. For two days ,on Monday Arpil 28 an Tuesday April 29, there were speeches, seminars and one on one meetings between companies. TotalAdventure met with Brazilian adventure companies from the Bonito region, and also outfitters from Bolivia,Chile,Guyana,Colombia,Argentina, Peru,Ecuador and Paraguay. Paraguay is less than 100 km from Bonito.

Leonardo Persi is the Coordinator for Ecotuorism in EMBRATUR – the Ministry of Tourism for Brazil. He spoke of the amazing natural treasures that Brazil has to offer – the Aamzon,The Pantanal, the Atlantic Coast, Fernando Da Noronha, Bahia – in the world’s 5th largest nation ! Brazil is also practicing and promoting sustainable tourism. Our travel professionals can get the word out to the rest of the world – many in the USA only know of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

The night before the events, the Town of Bonito hosted a huge party for a local and international crowd. The Brazilian Beef was amazing !

Bonito – the Center of Tourism in the Pantanal – is a laid back country town – with amazing food just like big Brazilian cities.

The Brazilian Real currently trades at 5.62 to the US Dollar. Prices are moderately lower than the USA and Western Europe. Electronic payment is accepted almost everywhere.

Our Amazing Adventure in Mato Grosso Do Sul had come to an end. LATAM has flights everywhere in Brazil, all of South America, and direct flights to all of the Americas, Europe and Southern Africa. Above is Campo Grande airport.

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.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

On April 30th at 2:30 AM Azerbaijan Time ( GMT +4) TotalAdventure began the journey from the shores of the Caspian to the Mid Atlantic Ocean. The first flight , from Baku to Istanbul arrived at 0430 GMT +3. After navigating the stringent security control at IST , I boarded my connecting Turkish Airlines flight arriving in Lisbon at 1050 GMT+1. Checking into the EU, and one more control , I had a good Portuguese lunch and boarded the last flight to Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island in the Azores Islands, a Portuguese Territory in the mid Atlantic arriving at 1500 GMT. One third of the way across the Atlantic and 60% of the way home.

The first view of São Miguel. An amazing entity in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Azores have been Portuguese since 1427. They stretch 350km along the high 30s latitudes.

The volcanic Mid Atlantic Ridge stretches from Iceland to Antarctica.

There is good surf almost every day of the year, between winter storms and summer hurricanes.

The ocean was about 17 C. ( 63 in American temperature) Perfectly comfortable for TotalAdventure.

A volcanic formed valley with extremely fertile soil. The climate ranges from an average of 13C 55F in winter to 23C 74 F in summer.

Portugal’s currency is the Euro, as of this writing is US $1.07. Costs are slightly lower than the rest of Western Europe or the USA.

TotalAdventure had only local produce and seafood . The Azores are a gastronomic paradise.

Sopa do Bacalǎo. Cod Soup.

Blood Puddding.

Grilled Sardines.

Cod Steak.

Local Pineapples.

Shrimp with head on. 90% of the shrimp flavor comes from the head. Americans have a peculiar habit of decapitating it before sale.

A Peaceful Country Lane.

In Sete Cidades.

THe islands are of course, mainly Catholic. I was not there on a Sunday,so not known on how many attend Mass.

TotalAdventure will definitely ride the next time in the Islands. It was now time to ride hime across the Ocean – first to New York and on to Miami,

WATCH THE VIDEO AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE !

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.