Cape Agulhas in Pictures

Yesterday I blogged a little about visiting "extreme" locations on the globe and about my visit to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of the African continent. Here are a few more pictures from my visit to Cape Agulhas. My fiance and I spent a long weekend in Agulhas in March 2009. We visited the lighthouse and went on a few beachside hikes. On this overcast weekend, the tip of Africa looked mysteriously beautiful and quiet, like a calm before a storm or an eye of a hurricane. Click on any of the pictures below to view larger.

Agulhas Lighthouse 1, South Africa, March 2009.

Tips of the Continents

Cross-posted on Skepchick.

For some reason, humans like to travel to extreme or notable points on the globe: the north pole, the south pole, the southernmost point of this, the northernmost point of that, the westernmost point of this, the easternmost point of that, the highest point of that, the lowest point of that, continental divides, the equator, the arctic circle, the prime meridian, and many others.

I'm not sure why these extreme or notable points-- which often don't look like much when you visit them or which can be crazy tourist traps-- are such significant travel goals for humans. Perhaps humans like having a place to seek, a destination that drives them onward rather than just a place to wander across. I suppose that this is one reason I like traveling for geology. Geology gives me specific places I need to reach: a roadcut, a stratigraphic boundary, a fossil-hunting ground, a mineral spring, a fault, an erratic boulder, a sculpture carved into a rock, a rock arch, a glacial striation, a sand dune, and so on.

On the other hand, I sometimes wish there were more time for wandering on busy, fully-scheduled geology trips. Much of my travel has, wonderfully, been funded by my geology research and geology class field trips. This is one reason I decided to become a geologist-- I am often paid to travel, and I find this wonderful. However, after my PhD, I plan to take a little time off and do some wandering with no formal geology obligations. I'm sure I'll wander across some wonderful places and some amazing geology anyway.

Maybe in my wanderings I'll visit a few more so-called extreme points on the globe. So far, I haven't been to too many extreme points. I guess I've made some progress on visiting the southernmost points of continents. I've been to the southernmost point of Africa and the southernmost point of Asia. Well, sort of. One of the problems with many extreme places (well, the ones that are easier to reach, perhaps not Mt. Everest and the poles) is that they attract tourists. Sometimes, locals might exaggerate or even make-up the "extreme" characteristics of their home place in order to attract more tourists.

Cape Agulhas, South Africa seems to be the geographical southernmost tip of Africa. Sentosa Island, on the other hand, seems dubious in its claim to be the southernmost point of continental Asia. I think perhaps Sentosa made up this claim to attract tourists. First of all, Sentosa is an island and not really part of continental Asia. Excluding islands, I think the southernmost tip of Asia should be located in Malaysia. Second of all, Sentosa is not the southernmost Asian island. Including islands, I think the southernmost tip of Asia should  be located in Indonesia. However, Sentosa is a beautiful-- if touristy-- place, so I recommend visiting anyway. You can even take a picture next to Sentosa's dubious, slightly Engrish sign proclaiming "Southernmost Point of Asia Continent" if you want.

Perhaps I'll try to visit the southernmost points of some other continents in my post-PhD wanderings-- just five to go. Or maybe six.

Jackie (my fiance) and I at the southernmost tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas, South Africa, March 2009.

Wadi Rum in Pictures

Lunch in the shade of a rock arch, Jordan, August 2007.

The Middle East is near and dear to my heart. When I was fifteen, I lived with a Palestinian refugee family in Jordan for five months as an exchange student. The experience opened my eyes to the wider world and no doubt changed the course of my life. Ever since, I have been drawn to the Arabic language, the Middle East, and to deserts. I studied Arabic for four years back in undergrad, but I unfortunately have never had the opportunity to study Arabic abroad and truly gain fluency in the language. The Middle East is a tumultuous region, and the semester abroad programs I signed up for kept being canceled because of safety concerns. Also, I had to balance my Arabic studies with a heavy science courseload.

However, I had the good fortune to have several Arab friends in high school and college. I was also adopted by a wonderful Iranian family (who are Persians, not Arabs) which hired me as a part-time nanny for their three wonderful children. I am still very close with the Iranian family; just the other day, the oldest daughter-- who is now in Middle School-- called me up to ask me questions for a science report she was writing on Plate Tectonics. She told me yesterday that she received a perfect score on her report, and I couldn't be prouder.

In graduate school, I have had the opportunity to carry out my thesis research in the deserts of northern Oman. I hope to always do some geology research-- and perhaps even teach one day-- in the Middle East. There is certainly some fantastic geology in the region.

The recent turmoil in Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern countries worries me, but I am hopeful for the region. The deaths of protesters and policemen sadden me greatly. I have great respect for all those on the street, fighting and marching and shouting for a better life. I hope there is soon a peaceful transition of government in the protesting countries, though I know the struggle will continue long after the streets are empty. In general, I think the biggest problem the Middle East must overcome is a very young population with few job opportunities. This is a problem that will take many years to work through. Again, I am hopeful.

In honor of all of those in the Middle East who are currently struggling in the midst of turmoil, here are a few peaceful pictures of the beautiful desert of Wadi Rum, Jordan. I took these photos when I briefly visited Wadi Rum in August 2007. Note that my blog header picture and my profile picture were both taken at Wadi Rum. Click on any of the photos below to view a larger version.

Wadi Rum Cliff 1, Jordan, August 2007.

Petra in Pictures

Petra is my favorite place in the whole world. When I was fifteen, I lived in Amman, Jordan for five months as part of a high school exchange program. I lived with a Palestinian refugee family and attended a school where I was the only foreigner. My five months in Jordan were eye-opening and full of wonder, but one experience stood high above all others: my first visit to Petra, the red-rose sandstone city.

Petra is an amazingly beautiful place. The towering, glittering sandstone cliffs are awe-inspiring, but what really takes your breath away is the widespread evidence of ancient civilization: facades carved into the sandstone cliffs, water-channels lining the walkways, and windswept remnants of sculpture everywhere.

I visited Petra twice more during my high school exchange. For years I longed to return to Jordan and especially to Petra. In 2007 I managed to return to Jordan for a week. I had been on a research cruise in the Indian Ocean, and the end port was Singapore. I booked my ticket home via Amman (for just a little extra), and my old high school connections lined up a place for me to stay for a week. I paid far too much money for a driver to take me down to Petra and Wadi Rum, but as a single female staying with a conservative muslim family, I felt obligated to pay for a proper driver/escort. However, I long to return (with a friend this time), stay in a backpacker lodge, and wander the desert, exploring Petra for days.

Below are some pictures I took during my 2007 visit to Petra. I hope you enjoy! I encourage all of you to visit Petra, though a part of me wishes Petra were still a lost (to Westerners, anyway) city. Petra is now weathering faster as a result of so much tourism. Hopefully, a balance can be struck between encouraging tourism (which helps Jordan's economy immensely) and protecting these incredible ruins from the devastation of millions of foreign footprints.

Click on any of the images below for a larger version. 

Roadstop on the way to Petra from Amman 1, August 2007.

Roadstop on the way to Petra from Amman 2, August 2007.