Singles books

Especialmente impresos a color, accesibles, con impresionantes imágenes a color con iluminación de fondo, este sencillo narra las aventuras de Jackie Chase en Panamá.

Para sus fans, la antología de sus viajes a doce países titulado “100 personas que debe conocer antes de morir: Viaje a culturas exóticas” contiene muchas imágenes de este sencillo además de otras historias, igualmente fascinantes, sobre culturas de todo el mundo. 

Specially printed in color, and accessible with stunning back-lit color images, this “single” recounts the adventures of Jackie Chase in Bali. For her fans, the anthology of travels to 12 countries titled, “100 People to Meet Before You Die” Travel to Exotic Cultures, contains many of the images from this “single” and eleven equally fascinating stories from cultures around the world. One of her fans actually followed her description of arranging to stay at the palace of a prince in central Bali and found her discovery equally as fascinating as her description in this book.

Specially printed in color, and accessible with stunning back-lit color images, this “single” recounts the adventures of Jackie Chase in Borneo. This story begins, “Sitting cross-legged on the floor of the canoe, my elbows scraping the raw splintery sides, I felt the intensity of Borneo on my skin. Small and sweaty, my guide strained his muscular arms to paddle hard, propelling the canoe around a river bend, well-traveled and cut deep in the mud. As the expanse of the brown lake water widened, an occasional view of water buffalo or a pair of freshwater dolphins offered diversion during the four hours I sat scrunched in the narrows of the leaky canoe. My legs felt like Jell-O. The smell of leaking fuel burned my nostrils…  The silent boat driver maneuvered the wobbly canoe with skill as razor sharp slivers of coconut grass crisscrossed my arms in red.”

Specially printed in color, and accessible with stunning back-lit color images, this “single” recounts the adventures of Jackie Chase in Burma. This story begins, “The donut holes burned my fingers. The oily funnel-shaped paper wrapper slipped to the ground, freeing the fried dough to roll under the market-woman’s feet. With an ear-to-ear smile, she prepared another paper cone of pastry. I pointed to my camera. She nodded, taking a practiced pose of looking down, hiding our sociable encounter. What a perfect scenario to describe Burma. Initial smiles fade, dissolved by the obscure chemistry of the Burmese government's perplexing authority, seeping into the soul of its people. [In the comfort of your home, see through the author’s lens and flavorful words what few tourists see inside the mystery of Burma.]

Specially printed in color, and accessible with stunning back-lit color images, this “single” recounts the adventures of Jackie Chase in China. She typed emails on primitive keyboards, and wrote, “I planned to see the cormorant fishermen tonight. When I got there, they offered a real touristy thing they had set up. They had put huge floodlights and birds on the bamboo, and a ninety-seven-year-old man with a pointed, white beard sat beside them, with seats on the raft behind him. I want to see the real thing, not something set up for tourists. The cormorants learn, as babies, to give the fish they catch to their owners, but for safety's sake, the owner ties string around their necks to prevent them from swallowing the fish. Legend says the owner takes the string off after they dive seven times so they can enjoy some fish for their hard work.” [The author set out to see rural China, not what the tourist sees; this book is incredible to read as you ride on the bicycle seat with her, peering through her camera lens.]  

Specially printed in color, and accessible with stunning back-lit color images, this “single” recounts the adventures of Jackie Chase in Ecuador.

This story begins, after a touching story of pre-trip doubts within her family, “The fifty-foot canoe forged through the downpour, not caring that passengers, luggage, and food got drenched. Huddled together for warmth, Katherine and I sat motionless, sharing a tarp with numerous wood crates packed with camping gear and food. Our safety net, Louis Garcia, had our lives in his hands. Louis knew the ins-and-outs of jungle life from studying for his role as a medicine man, and he came recommended by the South American Explorers Club.

The canoe jerked to a stop on the muddy shoreline. I could hear foreign voices, undecipherable in the distance. After we removed the rain-soaked tarp from over our heads, Katherine and I noticed the angry sky had gone quite dark. People stood on the banks of the river, pulling the canoe forward in the mud. Out of nowhere, Katherine said, ‘I’m freezing cold and wet but not sad.’

‘Why would you feel sad?’ I asked.

‘Racing down the river in a fifty-foot canoe, trusting our boat driver in the dark, and fearing the unknown, maybe?’ Katherine smiled as her slender, ice-cold fingers squeezed my hand. Our brand-new boots sloshed through the mud while we climbed a steep embankment. A Quechua home on stilts graced the river with candles, and steaming hot chocolate and tea waited for us… At lunchtime, we’d eaten hot pasta with lentils, peas, corn, potatoes, tuna, bread, and dripping orange slices over huge banana leaf placemats; could our dinner menu match that? I thought the chances were good.”

Specially printed in color, and accessible with stunning back-lit color images, this “single” recounts the adventures of Jackie Chase in Ethiopia.

This story begins with a quote, “"Not I nor anyone else can travel that road for you. You must travel it for yourself." Walt Whitman. [Luckily, you have the author’s gift of images and colorful language to save the expense and reduce the fear associated with primitive cultures.]

“Paint a picture of a dry desert with starving people, and Ethiopia comes to mind. Ethiopia, one of the most compelling countries in Africa, opens pathways that allow us to step back in time. The word “history” found its initial breath millions of years ago with the first human remains unearthed near the capital, Addis Abba. Away from the scramble of city life, ripples of vivid lime to dark pine feed the eye…Looking for an anthropological expedition? Make contact with primitive tribes in the southwest, the richest concentration of aboriginal tribes in the entirety of Africa. These primitive tribes share ethics, values, and goals of non-materialistic traditions…Compensated with the symbolic and ornamental wealth on their embellished bodies, people live satisfied and balanced lives…The Mursi, Hammer, Karo, Konso, Galeb, and Borana tribes all co­exist in a cracked and craggy environment, forgotten by the rest of the world. Here, the visitor can see the Africa of yesterday. In their hidden cloisters, these tribesmen’s symbolic customs flourish through body adornment. The power of nature dominates while strong ties link them to the Omo River as their main life source.”

[The story of the author’s encounters will find you turning pages in disbelief as this Midwest mother of four tackles the impossible.]

Specially printed in color, and accessible with stunning back-lit color images, this “single” recounts the adventures of Jackie Chase in India.

This story begins, “Travel virgins, inquisitives, or globetrotters succumb to the magnetism India exhales. Discover the authentic India through your mind's eye. The maze of sensory overload when you arrive weighs heavy on the heart. Outside layers of sights and sounds flirt with the senses, hoping to satisfy your expectations. Take giant steps to find the essence of India, buried in the richness of India's soul: the people. No other country in the world offers such a delectable palette: a melting pot of religions, cultures, and languages brought together by traders, pioneers, and soldiers for the last five thousand years. Escape a life sentence of boredom; join me in the labyrinth of alleyways painted with the sparkles, reflecting from mirrored baubles of Gujarati and Rajasthani women and Tibetans, standing guard in street-stall doorways. Landscapes, dotted with the powerful depth of vision transmitted in variations of extravagant architecture accent the scent of incense, spices, and poverty, as well as the sounds of claustrophobically dense cities. Colors more brilliant than any rainbow and tastes and textures of exotic foods combine to embroider the lush texture of India.”

Specially printed in color, and accessible with stunning back-lit color images, this “single” recounts the author’s adventures in Kenya.

This story begins, “The agency charged extra for an armed driver for the trip north from Nairobi toward Ethiopia and Somalia. Newspaper headlines reading, ‘Americans Robbed Again,’ warned of the lack of security along the dusty northern roads. One rumor passed along from hotel to hotel hinted that robbers killed a white woman for her money and passport.

Although I paid for an armed guard, the driver said he had no guns. The driver assured me of a safe trip and lacked any concern for robbers or hijackers. The grungy left-over-from-some-war vehicle had lost its doors and seat covers, so comfort and cleanliness were not on my travel menu. Miles and miles of hard-packed sand filled the horizon without a sign of a village or even tire tracks. Shapes of camels followed by strange-looking donkeys caught my eye…”

Specially printed in color, and accessible with stunning back-lit color images, this “single” recounts the adventures of Jackie Chase in Morocco.

The story begins with a quotefrom Eleanor Roosevelt, “It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan."

"Oncoming traffic signaled us to pull off the road. The marshmallow sand of the road shoulders tempted the tires of our car to sink deep. Great time for some stretching, I thought, after hunting in several bags for water. The shiny bottles I pulled from my pack caught the attention of black spots, moving down the hillside opposite the road. Those tiny spots turned into children, doubled over with heads low to the ground and carrying stacks of firewood taller than their little bodies. Three adorable girls, about eight years old, came rushing toward the car begging for food or water. My camera captured their smiles and heavy loads, and I thanked them with a few small coins.”

Specially printed in color, and accessible with stunning back-lit color images, this “single” recounts the adventures of Jackie Chase in Panama.

The author describes a memorable gap, “Wild and untamed, the ten thousand square miles of undeveloped, steamy jungle, called the Darien Gap, connects Panama to Colombia. The Darien has voraciously consumed explorers for centuries. Harsh and assertive, the jungle growth inhibits roads or any other type of civilization, but it encourages fugitives, drug smugglers, guerrillas, and jaguars like a magnet. This gap creates a land bridge between two continents, creating a mixing-ground for animals of both Americas and a funnel for birds that migrate over the land between them. The Chocó Indians, now known as the Embera and Wounaan, number close to 17,000, having survived smallpox and other diseases the Spaniards brought over.

They live deep in the heart of the Darien, close to river basins, very much the same as their ancestors lived during the days of Christopher Columbus, guarding generations of secrets. Both tribes have similar lifestyles, painting their upper bodies with Jagua, a dye coming from a local fruit that lasts about a month before needing reapplication. These tribes have made significant contributions to humankind's pharmaceutical medicine chest. Because of these tribes and their botanical skills from living in the forest, scientists and researchers gain knowledge indispensable to people in today’s world. The modern birth control pill comes from the Central America yam…”

Specially printed in color, and accessible with stunning back-lit color images, this “single” recounts the adventures of Jackie Chase in Sulawesi.

This story begins, “Tell me about the most unusual thing you have ever eaten?” I asked a German woman, standing next to me, absorbing this incredible sight. ‘Monkey, snake, bugs, worms, rats, cuscus and dogs seem normal in Fourth-World countries,’ she said as she scrunched up her nose and eyes while she answered. ‘But the worst-tasting animal ever is cat!’ The driver suggested I buy cigarettes for my hostess-gift. The cashier wrapped the carton in brown paper and tied it with string. Nonsmokers feel uneasy giving this gift. The driver explained, ‘Friends will envy a gift of store-bought cigarettes, considered a real luxury. Everyone smokes here in the mountains of Sulawesi.’ Pigs squealing in the distance gave my driver a direction to follow. A few people, both in front of us and following, confirmed the driver’s thoughts of a funeral ceremony, taking place in some village close to the road closing ahead. The driver accompanied me to the main structure for proper introductions to the deceased man’s wife, which would allow me to wander the compound as part of the extended family. After I had offered the wrapped gift to women serving tea and biscuits, I followed the driver’s motions of sitting Indian-style inside the makeshift funeral structure. Now an official friend of the family, I felt comfortable enough to walk the village and enter the traditional longhouse, built on poles to house the coffin, left here for the last two years.”

Specially printed in color, and accessible with stunning back-lit color images, this “single” recounts the adventures of Jackie Chase in Vietnam.

This story continues, “Layers of fish netting, ropes, clothing rags, and a shoe with the sole missing trapped my feet as I tried to exit the boat. Clumps of tall grass made a great handhold for me as I inched onto shore. Bent over and almost crawling, I found the wooden walkway meeting the house. The sign language of the girl, hands wildly flailing, signaled her desire for me to keep moving forward. Words like, “Okay, okay,” along with her fake smiles did not assure me that I had the correct address for my invitation. Her departure back to Vinn Long, without any contact with this family, might spell trouble for me. The frenzy of that crucial moment of my uncertainty vanished like a cloud’s shadow in sunlight as a girl in a blue dress suddenly appeared on the shore and held her hands out to greet me. One of the love/hate relationships with travel that keeps me going, but might detour others from similar travels, comes in the form of language barriers. For instance, if I ask a question of a native, and she nods her head, that does not mean she understood anything I said to her.”