Musings on chess, and lesser things
Non-chess posts
Several of you have asked me whether it’s full on volunteering all day, every day while I’m here. The answer is no; we teach five days a week during the day, but outings are relatively common. When I arrived, some of the more veteran volunteers told me that Huaycan can prove a little suffocating after …
LLI’s program consists of teaching the children of Huaycan in various ’zones’, sort of mini-suburbs. Some of these zones are really very poor, consisting of basic tin and brick shacks high up in the dusty hills along dirt paths that are inaccessible to most transportation. The volunteers teach basic English, French, math, sport, art, dance …
After a surprisingly successful chess-tourism jaunt to Africa, it seems like I’ve arrived on another planet. Joining the volunteer organisation Light and Leadership Initiative on the outskirts of Lima is really a far cry from the Commonwealth chess championships at a resort named the “Emperor’s Palace”. Peru is a reasonably developed country by South American …
Thus ends another Commonwealth Chess Championships, and my sojourn into Africa. It’s been nothing like I expected, which for a seasoned chess tourist is quite unusual. It’s been crazier, more dangerous and far more dramatic than I could have possibly predicted. But, in fact, it’s been incredible. Tomorrow morning I fly off to Peru, but …
Plans have gone awry. Chaos ensued. Unfortunately, my tournament has taken a turn for the worse. Several, in fact. I’ve now dropped points against Nick van der Nat and Daniel Jere, two of Africa’s most talented chess gems. I’m not in anything resembling form, but they both played brilliantly, and deserve to be where they …
I’m alive; and even more importantly, back in the land of internets. But I’ll make it up: this post will be unnaturally long, and you can expect daily updates of the tournament for the next week. Having survived two safaris, I’ve now settled down into our hotel in Johannesburg in preparation for – shock! – chess. …
A very quick update on the run as I am late for, yes, a safari. But I felt obliged to write a quick something-something in mass response to the various “Are you alive?” emails and texts I have received (mainly as a result of teaching my mother how to use a computer before I left …
Well, what’s a trip without stories? I’m writing this from Buenos Aires, but I shouldn’t be. I’m supposed to be on a plane to Johannesburg and en route to Cape Town as we speak. But the volcanic ash cloud from the recent Chilean earthquake has thrown a spanner into that plan, and I’m stranded …
Access to internet and other homely luxuries is proving a little difficult during my backpacking travels, as might be expected. But I’m finally able to give you a little bit of a review and some highly unprofessional travel advice from my destinations so far. I understand the concept of the Lonely Planet guides, of course: …
Steak for breakfast. Steak for lunch. Steak for dinner. I threatened it, I joked about it, and I’ve followed through. And I can proudly declare, from the gluttonous slumber of my Buenos Aires couch, that Argentinean steak is the best in the world. I find it fascinating how travellers can be so quick to create …