Travel Possibility

With dreams, anything is possible.  That is what the accomplishments of the South African runner, Caster Semenya has shown, not only the people of her village, but those around the world.  She grew up, not surrounded by the boutique hotels South Africa has to offer, in fact her house did not even have indoor plumbing or electricity.  She has inspired all those around her by showing what one is able to achieve just simply because they desire it and they work hard for it.

People all around the world, use their environments as excuses sometimes, be it poverty or bad neighborhoods.  In South Africa, some of the youth tend to fall back on their reasons for failure being the effects of apartheid and racism, colonialism and the white population.  These are valid obstacles to overcome, however, Semenya comes from one of the most poverty stricken, corrupt regions of South Africa.  She would run each day on the dirt roads of her town, sometimes without having eaten any food.  She worked hard, she was resilient, and filled with determination and focus.  And the people of her country are noticing just how much she accomplished.

She is teaching people that what one accomplishes in life, is a direct consequence of their inner dreams, thoughts and desires.  She is one woman who is the physical embodiment of the saying, that it does not matter where one comes from, it only matters where one is going.  This is a philosophy that has been written about in the bible, and is part of the teaches of Buddha.  She is inspiring the youth of her country with this ethic.  What is past is past, an ambition or a thought is not wasted if one takes a hold of it.  What is necessary is for all the children of South Africa to have access to opportunities, have access to those who like Semenya, continue to inspire and to lift up the spirits of those who need it.

I couldn’t believe how unhealthy the breakfast was that was being served at an English restaurant my Indian friend suggested we meet at. For some reason he thought that I might enjoy an English breakfast, me being British. Truly, I’d rather eat an Indians breakfast at the restaurant at any of the hotels Mumbai India than at this terrible example of an English Breakfast pub.

The fried English breakfast was conceived during the Industrial Revolution as a form of substantial fast fuel for the poor working class. They ate approximately 3,500 calories for breakfast, then they burnt the 3,500 calories by lunchtime. Or they died when the coal mine collapsed. But, in today’s world, the average English working class do not burn off the 3,500 calories driving a forklift. The fried British breakfast is completely wrong and indulgent. Bacon, ham, sausage are full of nitrates and other ingredients designed to prolong life on the grocery store shelf. The longer the shelf-life the greater the bacterial growth activity. It’s really just as horrible with smoked fish and kippers . All the people coming into doctors offices complain about bowel complications are diagnosed with having high levels of these types of foods in their diets. Long-life foods have also been linked with allergies. Morning is not a time to slam your body with all the fat contained in the standard English breakfast; the body is barely awake and the gall-bladder goes into shock mode and releases an emergency quantity of bile to digest all the fat being consumed. All that bile then creates heartburn.

But, my Indian friends has an uncanny understanding that the fried British breakfast is what I crave most when I’m dealing with a hangover. Sure, the fat and salt will exacerbate my dehydration, causing my hangover headache to get worse. But, what the heck, having jet-lag on top of my hangover the smell of the familiar fried meats makes me feel at home.

Tennis can sometimes be a little confusing. It truly is a world sport with an international following. What really makes each tournament so different? The two grand slam tournaments coming up are London’s Wimbledon and Paris’ French Open. Both are considered specialty events because of the surfaces they are played on.

The French Open is played on a clay court surface. The red clay surface is considered a real European specialty. American tennis players have not fared very well on the surface. Those that do well on the clay like Rafael Nadal etch their name in a storied history of clay court aficionados. Nadal is looking for his fourth clay court title this year. Whereas former world number one Roger Federer has yet to win a French Open title, the only grand slam title that eludes him.

Wimbledon is a grass court surface that has given Americans more success than its clay counterpart. American Wimbledon champions include John McEnroe, Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors. Sampras won seven Wimbledon titles. Wimbledon Centre Court has become a place for American achievements, and for those who cannot compete on the clay court to thrive.
This season will be yet another to see who can outshine the other on the clay and grass courts.