by Terri Hinte
Almost all of the people I met in Rio de Janeiro who lived in houses rather than apartments were dog-owners. They loved their animals, Im sure, but first and foremost these dogs had a very specific job to perform: they were charged with preventing Rios perpetual crime wave from ever lapping at the [...]

by Anne Merrigan
Nothing prepares me for Stella. Our encounter occurs within the vulnerable spot frequented by all travelers.  Nothing connected with the elements, yet everything associated with basic necessities.  The place raises sheer panic when undiscovered or mispronounced in the native tongue.  Some refer to it as “the throne” or in everyday language – the [...]

by Aimée Dowl
Living nine thousand feet up the slopes of an Andean volcano requires that I relinquish attachment to certain things, such as air. And sleep. For some reason, the rarified atmosphere makes for restless nights, and many people tend to dream epically.  As a writer, I am grateful that my slumbering imagination runs wild, [...]

by Libby Lubin
Let me tell you about the grizzly bear I ran into last summer in Alaska.
A bear in Alaska, you snicker, what did she expect, chipmunks?
True, there are lots of bears in Alaska, but the ones most people see are either silk screened on tee-shirts, mounted in airports, or so far away that you [...]

by Stephanie Kriner
If one moment could portray how I viewed the world before becoming a mother, it was when an elephant chased my friends and me through the bush in South Africa.
I sat in the back of a roofless Land Rover with my two girlfriends as our driver parked a few feet from an elephant [...]

by Kevin Finucane
The blank expanse erupted into a shroud of bubbles. I couldn’t see, but I felt my guide’s wrist under my hand, pulling back quickly. He was swimming away. I tried the same, but my flippers wouldn’t cooperate. It was the first time I had worn them, or used a snorkel for that matter. [...]

By Jennifer Wells
N’anga - a traditional healer and herbalist who, as necessary, may practice witchcraft
Muti - traditional herbal remedy, in some instances used to cast or reverse a spell
We’ve been cursed. An owl flew into our house two nights ago. No other explanation is offered. As witches in disguise, owls are not popular here. On [...]

By Laurie McAndish King
The first time I tracked lions, it was from the relative safety and comfort of a large—although open—Land Rover, with a loaded rifle situated handily next to the driver. At that time our guide had assured us that as long as we didn’t wear brightly colored clothes, make noise, or stand up, [...]

By Simon Hodgson
Go East, Young Man
There are no crocodiles in my creek. For minutes I stare in silence at the brackish water before me, hoping, dreading, to see air bubbles. Nothing. Nothing but three men in the Borneo jungle.
The forest is both loud and quiet as we walk towards the lake. I can hear my [...]

by Helen Sowers
Finally I was on my own, backpacking in the Sierra. It hadn’t been easy. When I proposed a solo hike, my husband had been adamantly opposed, citing all sorts of dangers. I persisted. I had always wanted to test my abilities alone. Finally I said, “Well, I won’t [...]