Hiking around Madrid

by Sean McLachlan on

Madrid is a city of fine dining, fine wines, and fine-looking Spaniards. Because of this many visitors never get out and see the beautiful countryside of the surrounding Comunidad de Madrid. Another obstacle has been the lack of English-speaking hiking groups.

Luckily that’s changed. A new group called Hiking in the Community of Madrid has been started by avid expat hikers Beau Macksoud and Cynthia Kane. Last Sunday I joined them in La Pedriza, a beautiful jumble of low mountains sculpted by the elements into bizarre shapes. It’s located outside the town of Manzanares el Real just a 45 minute bus ride from Madrid. The whole area is crisscrossed by trails and the cliffs are a big draw for rock climbers as well.

While our hike was only 8.5 km (5.3 miles) we still had an invigorating day. First we had a tough slog up a steep slope under a strong sun, followed by a scramble over strange rock formations that looked like dogs, camels, and sleeping people. We got sweeping views of a lake and castle far below, sightings of Spanish ibex, and a visit to a cave that used to be a hideout for guerrillas during the Civil War, and more recently by a group of murderers. The last part of the hike was a swift descent and a pleasant ramble along a stream back to town.

I found the hike well organized and the guides friendly and flexible to the needs of the various hikers. They have an expert knowledge of the region and have completed the first English-language hiking guide to the Comunidad de Madrid. It includes 18 towns easily reached by public transport and details hikes for each of them. They’re currently seeking publication.

Beau and Cynthia plan to run hikes every weekend. They may also run weekday hikes and intercambio hikes, where English and Spanish speakers practice their language on each other while enjoying the great outdoors. Costs vary, but are generally about 20 euros and includes a packed lunch and an information sheet about the area.

Cuba’s Budget-Friendly Accommodation Option: Casas Particulares

by Alex Robertson Textor on

Cuba’s casas particulares are already old hat for backpackers and other budget-minded types hailing from outside the US.

Europeans, Latin Americas, Canadians, and others have been digging the casa particular scene since the 1990s, when the Cuban government began to permit private citizens to rent out rooms in their houses to tourists.

Cuba’s privately-owned rooms generally cost between CUC$15 ($16) and CUC$50 ($52) for a double room per night, with a great number clustering in the CUC$20-25 ($21-$26) range.

The casa particular is a budget traveler’s dream: cheap and simple, with breakfast on offer for a few extra CUCs, or convertible pesos. Many casas also provide dinner at a very reasonable additional cost. Some offer private bathrooms; others provide shared facilities. Across Havana’s gorgeous Vedado and Miramar neighborhoods, many casas particulares take up space in gorgeous old mansions on romantic, tree-lined streets.

The casa particular accommodation form bears more similarity to gîtes, the French owner-occupied guesthouse accommodation model than it does to the North American bed & breakfast. The owners are on site or easily accessible, and the vibe is friendly and familiar. Guests feel as if they are staying in a home, not a hotel.

Very clearly (thankfully, even) there is also no domestic Cuban B&B industry churning out chintz and ruffled window curtains for a particular look. You can be fairly sure that your casa particular will be outfitted simply, but beyond that a unified aesthetic will be difficult to identify.

Most crucially for tourists interested in meeting locals and getting a sense of life in Cuba, casas particulares allow for extensive socializing between owners and tourists.

Casaparticularcuba, casaparticular, and cubaparticular also list rooms for rent. The Lonely Planet guide to Cuba also provides a good listing of casas particulares in Havana.

Kayak Explore: cheap airline tickets based on your budget

by Scott Carmichael on

A neat new online tool from travel firm Kayak tells you where you can fly, based upon your available budget. Simply pop your departure airport into Kayak Explore, tell it how much you can spend, and when you want to fly – and the service will deliver a map of the world with little pins showing how much it’ll cost to fly there.

The site gathers its data from the millions of airfare combinations Kayak monitors, and allows you to find real bargains. Of course, with a tool like this, you can also find ways to maximize your mileage account, finding the furthest destination with the lowest price. Search filters even allow you to pick activities, spoken languages, and the average daily temperature.

The one thing the tool won’t do is tell you exactly when that fare can be found – the fare displayed is merely the lowest within a general time frame. Once you’ve found a cheap destination, you can enter your dates and head to the main Kayak search pages. You’ll find Kayak Explore at kayak.com/explore. Happy fare hunting!

Somaliland: building a nation

by Sean McLachlan on

The most interesting thing about traveling in Somaliland is that you get to see a country in the process of creating itself.

When it achieved independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991, there wasn’t much to work with. The capital had been destroyed, a large number of people were homeless and without work, and the country wasn’t recognized by the outside world. Recognition still hasn’t come, but Somalilanders are slowly building their nation.

Buildings are going up everywhere, thanks to the investment from local Somalis and expats. This second group is important. In the Seventies and Eighties many educated Somalis fled dictatorship and civil war to other parts of the world. Some did very well for themselves, and when Somaliland stabilized they saw an opportunity for investment.

One modest example is a Somali man I met who works as a crane operator in Germany. He makes a good salary, but is far from rich by European standards. Yet in Somaliland he’s able to own a beachside home in Berbera and recently bought property in Hargeisa that he’s planning to build on. This, of course, will bring another contract to one of the local construction companies and more work for its employees.

Further up the economic ladder is Hassan Ahmed Hussein, owner of the Hadhwanaag Hotel and Restaurant in Hargeisa. He lived for many years in Virginia before moving back two years ago. Hassan’s hotel mostly serves Somalis although he’s interested in expanding into the developing tourist trade as well. The main draw of his place is the restaurant, which quickly became a favorite local hangout. The goat and camel meat his chefs cook for three hours in a clay oven is simply the best meal you’ll eat in Somaliland, and judging from the number of Somalis who show up for lunch and dinner this isn’t just an outsider’s opinion. The hotel part of his operation is good value too, with little bungalows surrounding a pleasant garden.

%Gallery-93563%One of Somaliland’s most successful businessmen is Abdirashid Duale, CEO of Dahabshiil, a major money transfer company with headquarters in the UK, Dubai, and Somaliland. Since remittances from foreign workers are a major source of hard currency in this part of the world, money transfer is big business. Unlike many Somalis I met, Abdirashid thinks Somaliland’s unrecognized status has a positive side.

“I do believe a lot of things can be done without recognition, look at Taiwan,” he says. “The focus on the private sector will have long-term benefits. We want people to be self-sufficient. Without so many NGOs coming in with their own ideas and their own agendas, we have to do things ourselves.”

Somalis are doing more than just opening businesses, they’re fixing social problems as well. Dahabshiil donates a lot of money to hospitals and universities, and individuals have set up their own NGOs since most foreign ones won’t come to Somaliland. Any foreigner visiting Somaliland will be invited to see several.

The Hargeisa Rehabilitation Centre helps people with physical disabilities. There’s an orthopedic workshop that makes artificial legs, wheelchairs, and crutches. It’s so productive, in fact, that it exports to Somalis living in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Puntland, and Somalia. Doctors offer physiotherapy to patients for as little as $2 a month, and many come from the war-torn regions of Somalia to be treated. Dr. Abdullah, the head of pediatrics, told me they have anywhere from 15 to 25 child patients at any one time, mostly suffering from cerebral palsy, clubfoot, malnutrition, and injuries.

He and his small staff work long hours with limited, antiquated equipment. Because Somaliland isn’t recognized, it’s hard to attract foreign aid or foreign volunteers. It’s also difficult for him and his fellow doctors to get visas to go to medical conventions abroad. Despite these troubles the center is a pleasant place, with a quiet garden and a dedicated staff doing the best they can.

Another homemade project is the Gandi Public Library, named after a former minister of education and founded by his son in 1999. Housed in a small building next to the empty shell of the central post office (Somaliland has no postal service since it’s not recognized by the Universal Postal Union), it’s the only public library in the country. While local residents eagerly read the small collection of books, there are no new ones coming in. The library hasn’t received a donation in ten years. The biggest demand is for textbooks on medicine, economics, community development, law, and other practical subjects.

Not far away is the Sancaani Technical Institute, which offers free training 700 students in computer science, electronics, journalism, and media. Founded in 2002, it helps disabled people, the disadvantaged, and those from non-Isaaq clans. The Isaaq are the largest clan in Somaliland and many people complain that members of minority clans don’t have equal opportunities. When I visited, one class was learning how to use Microsoft Access, while another practiced fixing mobile phones.

Noor Mohammed, an IT lecturer, told me there’s a huge waiting list for the free classes and not nearly enough funding to take all applicants.

“We can change the lives of thousands of the poor, but right now we are working at the limits of our capability. The children here, their interest level is very high,” he says. “We have just 16 computers and 200 students waiting to use them.”

While I only made brief visits to other towns, I got the impression, confirmed by several Somalis I spoke with, that the vast majority of investment and development is in the capital. The government still hasn’t fully asserted its authority in all areas of Somaliland and this is slowing the rush of investment. The port at Berbera, for example, needs improvement. A company from Dubai is discussing leasing the port and this might help improve the city in the next few years.

It’s hard to predict where Somaliland is heading. Development will continue, and as infrastructure improves the economy will too, fueling more investment. It’s an exciting time for this portion of the Horn of Africa, and it’s exciting for a traveler to be able to witness it.

Don’t miss the rest of my series on travel in Somaliland.

Coming up next: Some thoughts on travel in Somaliland.

Briggs & Riley luggage executives offer their travel packing tips

by Scott Carmichael on

Last week, our very own Heather Poole was interviewed by the New York Times asking for her packing tips, and this week, we’ve got some tips from the team of executives behind popular luggage brand Briggs & Riley. There are some pretty handy tips in the list, and as always, it shows that everyone has their own method of packing.

What about you? Got any tips you’d like to share with us? Leave them in the comments section below! With enough tips, we may feature you in an upcoming article with reader submitted packing tips.Richard Krulik (CEO, Briggs & Riley)

Bans bulk and sticks with a central color scheme

Be careful not to over fold, it’s what bulks things up, taking up unnecessary space. I spread things out as widely as I can, laying my slacks on the bottom of the luggage with the “legs” hanging over the sides. I pack on top of the slacks and then fold the part that’s hanging outside back in – it makes a nice gentle fold instead of a hard crease in the legs. It saves space and prevents wrinkles at the same time. With sweaters, I take thin cashmere instead of cable knit. I’ll limit the variation of colors to bring only two pairs of black shoes, which I alternate wearing.


Carole Schnall (VP Administration, Briggs & Riley)

Her clothing arrives in perfect shape every time

My clothes always arrive in perfect shape and wrinkle free – I start by folding neatly like they do in a department store, and I put plastic in between each item. I use either dry cleaner plastic or polyethylene bags which you can buy at Home Depot or Wal-Mart. I use them over and over again. I roll my underwear into my shoes and take each shoe and put it into a supermarket plastic bag and tie them up to avoid dirt, which then get placed along the edges of my bag.

Jim Lahren (VP Marketing, Briggs and Riley)

High tech app junkie

Before I pack, I check the weather for where I am going. In fact, there are many great travel apps that I use for weather forecasts and to consolidate my travel itineraries. Think about what you are going to need on that business trip. Split items among your laptop bag and luggage to save space and be prepared in case your checked luggage is delayed. I like to pack my socks and important items in my shoes to save space. As soon as I get to the hotel room I steam my shirts and pants in the shower. This gives them a clean, fresh appearance.

Chris Delgado (VP Sales, Briggs & Riley)

If the shoe fits…stuff your jacket

My packing strategy starts with “working around the shoes” and looking at what coordinates with a single pair of dress shoes. I make sure to select light weight materials and ones that don’t wrinkle. I confess to wearing workout clothes more than once. I fold slacks on the bottom and build from there, with the largest and heaviest items on the bottom. Socks and smaller garments get stuffed around the edges. I use shirts on my own hangers and use the hanging section in our Baseline or Transcend bags – then hang them up right when I arrive at my accommodation.

I love travelling with a jacket – I stuff the pockets with accessories, power cords and anything I can get in. The jacket goes through the security belt, and I don’t need to remove the electronics from my bag. No bling or big belt buckles are a cardinal rule. I’ve learned the system of what seats typically board first and aim to be one of the first to board to get good overhead space. I keep my briefcase under my seat, and am very careful to not overstuff it or take too much so that it absolutely fits under the seat. If you are going to overstuff, pick a bag that is softer like BRX or Transcend for the extra space.


Georgene Rada (VP Product Development and Design, Briggs & Riley)

Says 40% of what she originally lays out, gets scrapped as a “non-essential item”

I really do have a no- over packing philosophy, even though we make some very large bags to fit it all. I lay out everything in advance that I want to bring on a given trip, and then I look, think and cut out 40% of the stuff that isn’t essential at the last minute. I design my outfits around pieces that can work in multiple outfits and no one is really surprised when the designer from New York is wearing all black.

I make sure to have the right accent colors and in general, I stick to thin and lightweight clothing, wearing the bulkiest items while traveling to cut back on space. For toiletry items, I stick to travel-size and sample-size everything. I don’t know what I’d do without my specially designated “travel shoes” because they are easy to slip on and off at security, they are lightweight, and versatile.

Mike Scully (VP of Operations, Briggs & Riley)

Packs light with just enough

I’m a one bag; carry on kind of guy, though I recently converted to a rolling bag for the first time. It’s made me neater, perhaps because I now fold and am more conscious of space.

Organizing and compartmentalizing keeps my packing to a minimum. I pack neatly, stacking and laying items, putting socks in shoes to use all available space and separate shoes from clothing. A minimalistic and bare essential type of packer, I allow myself only one extra pair of pants and only one shirt for each day while I’m away. For shoes, unless I plan to hit the gym or beach, I stick to what’s on my feet; what can I say, I travel light. I get everything I need in, and I don’t mind an iron, that’s what they’re there for. I’m always glad I packed as lightly as possible.

Peter Mack (Director of Procurement, Briggs & Riley)

Layers like he’s heading to Alaska

The last time I traveled to Asia I swapped my old bag for a new one, downsizing from 24″ to a 22″ and got all my stuff in! The four straps on the side allow you to cinch down the bag and compress everything. Since most people tend to overstuff their carry on, they bulge out and then it’s not a carry on anymore. The straps saved me – any additional space is pulled right in.

I don’t carry that much – I prefer to do laundry on the road rather than carrying more or heavier luggage. When I have side-trips on a trip, I stay at one main hotel and leave my bag there for day trips, only taking exactly what I need for the smaller overnights. I roll because its wrinkle free – it really works. I’ve rolled sport coats starting inside out with the lining on the outside, place sleeves on inside, and start at the top by the collar and roll down to the bottom. The result: one fold line only, right down the back. I nest one shoe inside the other – flip them so they’re face to face or top to top with the openings on alternate sides. I always travel with a lot of layers on – a couple of smaller jackets and a sweater instead of a larger jacket which won’t fit into one suitcase and then I shed my layers on board.

Michael Siemank (Controller, Briggs & Riley)

Is not at all ashamed about over packing

I have a tendency to over pack. On a recent weekend trip, my adult kids got away with an overnighter, Transcend 22″, while I took a rolling duffle. I don’t care about the cost, I prefer having my stuff. I hate the hassle of trying to make sure to get on the plane early to get my carry on in the overhead bin. I hate that stress. Folding properly is the key to packing; as is planning ahead. I lay stuff out on the bed and take inventory. If I need it, it comes, if not, it stays.

Since Jet Blue is first bag free – I make a deal with my wife to stay under the 50 lb. limit – my wife is usually touching the edge, so we’ll switch things from bag to bag. If I have to pay, I pay, though I’m not thrilled about the new rules. I think it’s criminal that airlines are trying to dictate what I can bring with me. And Spirit…forget about it.

Andy Radcliffe (IT Director, Briggs & Riley)

Steals space from his kids

When traveling with my whole family, I make sure each member, including my two kids, has a regulation carry-on. I spread the same amount of clothing across all four bags instead of the two grown-up bags.

To save space, I rely on packing cubes, which segregate different types of clothing and create a mini-suitcase inside your suitcase. In recent years I’ve started packing less clothing with the thought that I can wash clothes on vacation, while staying at condos or rentals. I always make sure my clothing is wrinkle-free material and unpack immediately upon arrival.