tip Travel magazine Croatia 004 (English edition) 02-03/2014

Page 86

Travel writers

DVINA MELER

In 2006, together with her partner Darko Dovedan and friend Boris Vrhovac, Dvina established the "Kairos" association for promoting culture, cultural programs and friendship amongst nations: http://www.facebook. com/pages/Kairos-DvinaMeler/163750213733291

Photos: in Benin, Toga, and Ghana, you will often come across voodoo markets, where they sell various 'healing' concoctions. You can also buy the head and skulls of various animals, and even drinks made of animals (top).

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tipTravelMagazine February / March 2014.

countries in the world and go back to where I loved it the most. When travelling you have had the chance to taste the delicacies of various exotic cuisines. Which of the local specialties did you find the tastiest, and what would you never try again? I loved the tarantulas in Cambodia the most, although I was one the line as to whether I should try them at all because every time I looked the fried hairy giants, my stomach turned. Later I was glad I had managed to overcome my disgust since the tarantulas tasted like crab so I had a few pieces. I didn't mind mud potatoes in Peru, Cayman from the Amazon... On the other hand, I would never eat rats (a delicacy in Vietnam) or hairy caterpillar that are sold like French fries at the markets in Congo again. Once was more than enough.

On the trips you described in the first book, your only company was your partner D. In the second book, you are traveling in a group with your partner and male friends, but also alone with a female friend. What were the most difficult situations that two women came across traveling through various "untamed" regions? Is the feeling of security greater when you're travelling in a larger group? It might sound strange, but I believe it's much easier for women to travel in 'complicated' patriarchal areas of third world countries, where there is great corruption and where the armed military and police literally financially 'rips off' travelers going through their territory. I wrote a lot about that phenomenon in the "Unbearable Ease of Travelling". It's a psychological game, and twisting all the theoretical disadvantages into a practical advantage on the spot.


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