Manifesto Part II

Our duties are defined not by the words we use, but by the history we have seen together. For a half-century, we have defended our own travels by standing watch on distant borders. After the shipwreck of communism came years of relative quiet, years of repose, years of sabbatical - and then there came a day of fire.

We have seen our vulnerability - and we have seen its deepest source. For as long as whole regions of the world simmer in resentment and tyranny - prone to ideologies that feed hatred and excuse murder - violence will gather, and multiply in destructive power, and cross the most defended borders, and raise a mortal threat. There is only one force of history that can break this reign of hatred and resentment, and expose the pretensions of tyrants, and reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant, and that is the force of the traveling person.

We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: the survival of tourist in our land increasingly depends on the success of the tourist in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of tourism in all of the world.

So it is our policy to seek and support the growth of tourism movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending the tyrannies in our world.

This is not primarily the task of global travelers, though we will defend ourselves and our friends with force when necessary. The traveler, by its nature, must be chosen, and defended by citizens, and sustained by the rule of law. And when the soul of a nation finally speaks, the institutions that arise may reflect customs and traditions very different from our own. America will not impose our own style of travel on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to help others find their own way, in their own way.

Some, we know, have questioned the global appeal of tourism - though this time in history, three years defined by the swiftest advance that the traveler has ever seen, is an odd time for doubt. We, of all people, should never be surprised by the power of our trips. Eventually, the call of the traveler comes to every mind and every soul.Traveling will come to those who love it.

Today, we speak anew to the peoples of the world.

We go forward with complete confidence in the eventual triumph of travel. Not because history runs on the wheels of inevitability; it is human choices that move events. Not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills. We have confidence because the traveler is the permanent hope of mankind, the hunger in dark places, the longing of the soul. When our Founders declared a new order of the ages; when soldiers died in wave upon wave for a union based on liberty; when citizens marched in peaceful outrage under the banner "Travel Now" - they were acting on an ancient hope that is meant to be fulfilled. History has an ebb and flow of justice, but history also has a visible direction: toward travel in all its forms.

Renewed in our strength - tested, but not weary - we are ready for the greatest achievements in history.

I Can't Quit You

David Livingstone II departed for India two days ago, and is seen here receiving a warm embrace from fellow man JJ shortly before leaving for the airport. Livingston and JJ claim no tears were shed when when he departed, but a confidential source close to both men said the departure was "emotionally charged." Livingston will be traveling for 14 days in 6 cities.

Manifesto

Accordingly, I present the Manifesto of traveling peoples.

Traveling peoples of the world unite together for a great mission of the preservation and promotion of culture and travel throughout the world. Today is a day to remember, the first day of a new world, a world that lives by a new doctrine, the doctrine of the traveling person.

Traveling people shall join into this contract of life in travel and abide by this creed. We set forth our manifesto.

i) Traveling people shall unite under one vision, one common goal, the spread of knowledge of cultures and ideas to all the peoples of the world.

ii) As traveling people we shall not let the tyrannies of the world prevail. We shall fight it with knowledge of travel and culture where ever it exists, in all of its forms.

iii) We will liberate our fellow brothers bound by oppression so that they may join us in traveling the world.

iv) We shall at all times celebrate our differences and encourage others to do the same.

v) We will never travel in haste and will always plan for frequent diversions from our itineraries.

vi) We will always help a distressed traveling brother whenever we are called to aid.

Our manifesto is our bond. Travel on brothers-in-travel.

Escape

ISLAMORADA, FL. Back at long last! I have escaped a most treacherous experience. Recently I traveled via a bamboo raft from Key West Florida to Cuba for a very rare and special treat unavailable in the United States. I am going to refrain from giving exact details, dates, and names for obvious reasons. My journey began about one month ago. I had been spending time in Miami Florida when I had a very strong urge for a true Cuban mojito. I am not talking about one of those horse-mint Bacardi knockoffs the sell in New York or Boston. But the real deal made with mentha sachalinensis and true Cuban rum blanca. The kind you can only find in once place, Havana.
The point of departure was an abandoned bridge north-east on US 1 about 30 miles from Key West proper, where I fashioned a small bamboo raft lashed with hemp rope. Since I have extensive experience in ocean survival from days sailing in northern Australia, I was not worried about this simple 90-mile jaunt.
My craft shuttled me with the grace and speed of any such crude sailing vessel. I arrived in Cuban water after 4 days of sailing. My readers familiar with sailing to Cuba know the most dangerous part is the last mile. When I approached this point I made my move. In style of Jaques Yves Cousteau, I suited up in my SCUBA gear and dove in. My plan was flawless, Cuban authorities would find my raft and assume refugees were leaving Cuba, not someone trying to enter.
I arrived unscathed in the 40 minutes it took me to swim one mile to shore. I judged I would have about 42 minutes of air time at a depth of 22ft. Why 22 ft? This is the safest-shallowest depth in waters off Guillanos Bay. In that area most of the ships draw a maximum of 19 feet and I wanted at least 3 feet of margin from their propellers. The inexperienced SCUBA diver requires more air then those who dive regularly, but in fact I have conditioned myself to require less air than 99% of all SCUBA divers. The average SCUBA diver would only have 31 minutes of air time at that depth in a flat out swim. I had about 5 minutes of air time left when I crawled on to Cuban soil.
I had prepared a change of clothes in a compressed wet bag, I had brought one pair of linen pants, one linen shirt, and a genuine crushable panama hat made in Honduras. Once I was in proper local attire, I went searching for the perfect mojito.

David Livingston Mugged!

CAPETOWN SOUTH AFRICA - David Livingston was mugged early this morning shortly after landing in Capetown International Airport (CIA) while traveling to his hotel off the north bay shore. Two muggers approached him with gravity knives when they reportedly identified him has an American tourist by his American Eagle cargo pants. Livingston gave up his wallet, including $100 USD, two credit cards, a Washington D.C. metro card, and the pair of American Eagle cargo pants. Physically unhurt, but emotionally damaged, Livingston reported the incident to the American embassy, and local authorities. An American official at the US Embassy Capetown, who asked not to be identified, said sarcastically of the incident "we are going to put the crime lab on this one." Livingston had reportedly been warned of the dangers of Capetown and that wearing American Eagle cargo pants would identify him as an American. At the time of writing Livingston was resting comfortably at his hotel in a new pair of capri pants.

Vice

Yesterday, working with undercover agents in Miami, FL, I exposed a ring of urbanities posing as regional Canadian tour guides. The ruse was discovered by a fellow blogger (who will remain unnamed, but blogs under the pseudonym AlsoTravelingPerson). The fraudsters were exposed to authorities using my extreme knowledge of all things travel related. After luring them to the hotel lobby with the promise of "free" tickets to the Miami sea aquarium, I quizzed them on the names of municipalities of remote islands in eastern Canada. When they came up short on the 10th out of the 10 prepared questions I knew I had the fraudsters. They claimed to be on vacation in the area, and "knew nothing" of my accusations.

Provebs of the Trail

A few years ago while walking the Australian outback, I learned an old Chinese proverb from a Canadian I met on a walkabout. The proverb goes something like this: A gem is not polished without rubbing... [the second half I have since forgotten]. I really think some politicians, and those in professions not enlightened through travel, should listen to the lessons of others, the lessons of travel, and the lessons of ancient cultures.