Photo of Maria Taylor courtesy of shinealightnyc

Martin Acoustic Guitar

In case I need to write a song or sing myself to sleep.

CHI Hair Straightener

Because I’m over the curls for now.

Blackberry

Because it’s crack to me.

Mac Book Laptop

Because I need to be connected to the world wherever I am.

Target Socks and Underwear (From the kids’ department)

So people around me don’t get mad.

Cargo Under-Eye Concealer and Eyeliner

So I can pretend like I’m younger.

Relpax Headache Medicine

For my hangovers or my unrelated migraines.

Emergen-C

Can never have too much Vitamin C…actually, my friend OD’d on Vitamin C once.

A bottle of Sonoma Valley Cabernet

To keep me warm and happy.

Corkscrew

To keep me warm and happy.

More on Maria Taylor

Catch her live this spring in support of her new album, LadyLuck, and be sure to check out her new video which also features REM’s Michael Stipe on vocals.

Photo by thivierr

7 años secuestrado por las FARC (Spanish Edition) by Luis Eladio Perez, December 29, 2008

Luis Eladio Perez’s account of his time in captivity was released scarcely a few months after his liberation and cornered the market to begin with.

This account shines due to the politician’s clarity and sincerity and can be recommended to any Spanish speaker who wishes to understand further the situation in Colombia.

Cautiva (Spanish Edition), Clara Rojas, October 2009

Perhaps this could be the memoir that sheds light onto all of the happenings in the jungle regarding Clara Rojas, the birth of her son Emmanuel, Ingrid Betancourt and Luis Eladio Perez and of course, the three American hostages.

While the book is not yet for sale in stores, pirated editions have been spotted on the streets of Bogota.

News of a Kidnapping by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, May 1997.

A sobering take on the state of play in Colombia in the 1980s and 1990s when kidnapping was a very real threat to people of every social strata in Colombia.

Garcia Marquez combines brilliant journalism with his abundant literary talent and creates a novel that moves every reader.

The Cloud Garden: A True Story of Adventure, Survival, and Extreme Horticulture by Tom Hart Dyke and Paul Winder, December 1, 2005.

Published a few years ago, this is a recommended true story written by two travelers – perhaps somewhat eccentric – who decided to cross the notorious Darién Gap from Panama in Colombia on foot.

For an interesting and perhaps different take on captivity, be sure to pick up a copy…after all, how many people have you heard of that created orchid gardens to remain sane?

Of course the big seller will be Ingrid Betancourt’s memoirs of her time in the jungle as a captive if and when it comes out.

The former presidential candidate is said to be working on her account and it will likely answer many of the questions put to her from the other books written by her fellow hostages.

Photo by George Donnelly

Over the past few years of living here in Colombia, I have seen all of the Harry Potter novels presented to me at intersections and stop lights in major cities, but last week, remained surprised when the vendor approached our window with a copy of Fuera de Cautiverio (Out of Captivity) translated into Spanish just a week and a half after it was shipped here in English.

I guess it should not be too much of a shock really as the book – put together by Gary Brozek and three Americans (Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell, and Tom Howes) who were kidnapped by Colombia’s notorious FARC guerrillas and held for 5 years and 4 months – is presumed to offer so much in the way of answers and shed some light on various questions surrounding their captivity and the captivity of other notable figures.

To a casual reader, Out of Captivity provides an insight into the horrendous conditions that “prisoners of war” in Colombia are subjected to, the illnesses they suffer, their struggle for sanity, comprehension of events and some information about their captors.

To a Colombian, and therefore revealing why it needed to be translated so fast, the book serves to try and unravel some of the great questions about the enigma that is former Colombian Presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, her character, her politics, her survival.

Of course, the whole story is not revealed in the slightest and the book takes the form of three separate narrations from each of the protagonists during similar and eventful periods of their captivity.

Great emphasis is placed upon their own thoughts and spirituality as it should be, in particular their thoughts for their families.

Perhaps there are two great gaping holes in this body of work and these come in the form of lack of information about the Dutch FARC guerrilla who the three contractors met early on during their stay in the jungle and whose diary was discovered after a bombing raid on a FARC encampment in the southern jungles.

Photo of Ingrid Betancourt courtesy of Wikipedia.org

In addition to this, there is no firm speculation about who the father of Clara Rojas’ child Emmanuel is.

For those who are in the dark as to who Clara Rojas is, she was Ingrid Betancourt’s campaign manager who became pregnant while in captivity. The saga of her son Emanuel – born in captivity, taken from his mother and then after months, delivered to Colombian social services – became a cause followed all over Colombia.

Not for genuine interest in the humanity of the situation, but rather, it became a somewhat farcical soap opera in which the only thing people seemed to really care about was the identity of the boy’s father.

Could it be a high ranking FARC official, was she raped, was it one of the Americans?

Operation Check Mate (Operacion Jaque), the daring and now legendary rescue of the Americans, Ingrid Betancourt and other politicians, is addressed as the closing finale to their Colombian sojourn. It makes compelling reading but ultimately leaves one wanting…as it should and as we should expect from the very beginning.

After all, there is a long running civil war in Colombia and the present government will have done everything in its power to stifle the distribution of any classified information.

Classic literature Out of Captivity is not, but a riveting and compelling read it surely is – entailing the personal struggles of the three hostages, the politics and conniving nature of the FARC and the struggles of the guerrilla themselves.

This is a book that can be read cover to cover within a sitting and will leave the reader astonished at the hardships endured by those who have undergone similar experiences.

Keep this work circulating as it will serve to remind the authorities in Colombia that there are an estimated 2,000 people still in captivity in this country.

Matador Member – Tsraveling

Photo by tsraveling

I enjoy watching people and learning how communities work, and then communicating what I learn in creative ways.

Be sure to check out tsraveling’s Matador profile.

Favorite books: The Deluge, Pilgrim at Tinker’s Creek, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Endurance.

Photo by fredcamino

The ideal multi-purpose gadget for travelers and flashpackers alike, this latest smartphone from Blackberry combines the benefits of an MP3 player, interactive yellow pages, a map gazetteer, external storage drive, a DVD player, a camcorder, an eBook reader, and, a 3.2 MP quality point-and-shoot camera into one lightweight, time saving device.

Oh yeh, you can make a couple calls on it too.

Here are a few reasons why the Storm is ideal for jet-setting travelers.

…….
3. Make and receive calls in over 220 countries – Whatever else it does, you want an international cell phone that delivers when it comes to making and receiving calls. The quadband GSM device will keep you connected.

4. Email anywhere – Send and receive email in over 90 countries. Email setup is simple, and lets you forward your webmail to the Storm or receive your corporate email – a must-have for every business traveler!

5. Lost? – Pretty likely in a foreign country. The Storm removes that worry. Know where you are, wherever you are with BlackBerry® Maps……

For more, check out 49 solid reasons why the Blackberry Storm smartphone is perfect for international travelers, compiled by Vodafone.

Photo courtesy of Tony Vincent

“I enjoyed the opportunity to perform live on stage 6 nights a week on Broadway and London’s West End whether it was as “Roger Davis” (RENT), “Judas Iscariot” (Jesus Christ Superstar), or “Galileo Figaro” (We Will Rock You) because it allowed me to have my days free to spend time writing songs and focusing on my own music….

“That’s where I found real creative freedom and could remain grounded in the reasons I moved to New York in the first place. Being in the public eye each night also gave me an opportunity to work with some of the city’s really strong writers and artists.”

The Pack

Tony carries a Bak2Pak hybrid laptop bag which combines the practicality of a messenger bag with the ease of a backpack. The bag can be converted from a low riding backpack to a single-strap messenger bag, and comes with tons of compartments, including a top-loading padded pocket for laptops.

Bits for the Road

MacBook Pro

This machine rarely leaves my side…used for emailing, web updates, blogging and getting down musical ideas.

Palm Treo 680

I’ve become a texting-freak…since when I was doing We Will Rock You London in 2003. I pine for an iPhone, but just can’t make the leap to AT&T.

Audio Magazines

I’ve always got 2-3 audio magazines in my bbp pack.

Lyric Sheets

I’m a big culprit of spacing on lyrics, so I’m constantly reviewing lyrics…even to my own songs!

Pulltap

I’m a bit of a wine-guy so I always have a pulltap in a bag that I check (not exactly my “backpack”… but you’ll get arrested if you start wielding one of these in the cabin).

Läkerol Pastilles

I don’t know if these help or if it’s completely psychological, but I always have one of these pastilles in my mouth when I’m singing. Many boxes accompany me while traveling.

Photo courtesy of Tony Vincent

Think Thin Bars

These protein bars are killer…..you never know what food the flight is going to be serving or how long it will be until your next meal.

Adidas Running Shoes

I have a bit of an OCD-thing about staying in shape, so I always pack my running shoes to get in a run before a show or an early morning workout.

Notes/Cards

A recent note or card from my wife – travel is really hard on relationships, so I make it a point to surround myself with things that remind me of my wife. This helps me to keep her in the loop, to pray for her daily and to love her well…even from afar.

More on Tony Vincent

Also an accomplished singer/songwriter, be sure to check out his music below:

Official home site – www.tonyvincent.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Tony-Vincent/775583289
MySpace: www.myspace.com/tonyvincent
Fan Site: www.tonyvincentworld.com

Photo by NileGuide.com

The key to any trip into a cave is safety. This should be your primary concern, especially when entering a cave you are unfamiliar with.

Hard Hat/Helmet

One key item to help promote safety is a hardhat.

It’s impossible to see every direction, and getting knocked out below the surface is certainly no fun for you.

Rocks jut out from cave walls and the ceiling, and it is easy to not notice them or forget a rock you’ve just passed.

You can find hard hats for sale online, and in most hardware departments at major stores.

Light

The most important item is sufficient light. A simple headlamp for your hard hat, to free up your hands, would cost about $15.

The straps fit over your hard hat, freeing your hands, and allowing you to catch yourself during the inevitable slip.

A backup light is also very important. This could be a handheld flashlight, a flare, or both. The more light sources the better.

Total blackness with protruding rocks is a surefire way to make sure you never emerge from deep within a cave.

Make sure you turn off your light at least once, just to experience for what total darkness feels like.

This will definitely instill some fear and a sense of awe within you. It will also remind you to pack more backup light on future trips.

Photo by Hamed Saber

Sturdy Shoes

No shoes are going to save you from the occasional slip.

The more tread the better, but caves tend to be coated with wet mud, and sometimes you have a climb up or down wet rocks.

Realize that any shoes you take into a cave will come out caked in mud.

Nice tough leather shoes are easier to clean and more durable.

Map of Cave

The toughest piece of gear to acquire is a map of the cave you are going to explore. Some are available online, and the government frequently do underground surveys before they build roads or other major structures.

You can try to find a map online, and if you can’t find one, try your local courthouse.

The records should be kept there, and if not they may be able to point you in the correct direction. Rather than running into a cave without a map, try to find a nearby cave where a map is available.

If you must go into a cave with no direction, one option is to take a long roll of kite string trailing behind to help find your way out.

If you’d prefer to test your memory, just remember your life is on the line. Make sure somebody above ground knows which cave you are in, and any plans you have for exploring it (for example, taking all left turns until you find a dead end).

Hiking Buddy

For beginners, never hike into a cave without a friend. You can even get him or her to carry some optional gear like a small first aid kit, bottles of water, and sweatshirts if you get cool in the damp 55 degrees underground.

If you decide you enjoy spelunking, then some rock climbing training would be the way to go. Nothing beats descending a couple hundred feet into the blackness, only to find an entirely new world lies in wait, potentially never touched by humans.

Photo by Lola Akinmade

Make sure you understand the dangers that lie in wait, and be ready to fight off a horde of cave critters (don’t worry, they can’t see you).

Taking this minimal amount of gear will let you know if you have a passion for spelunking, and allow you to expand your horizons without spending too much money on something that might sit in the attic for years to come.

Community Connection

Looking for places to try caving? Check out 10 Caves to Explore in Bermuda and Caving in Tham Lot, Thailand.

Matador Member – Beth (bethdod)

Photo by bethdod

I am restless. I have always been this way, even as a child. I cannot stand to be in one place too long. I feel that the world is too large to not want to constantly explore it and see what else is out there.

Be sure to check out Beth’s Matador profile.

Favorite books: Memoirs of a Geisha, I am Charlotte Simmons, Getting Stoned with Savages.

Feature/Photo above by Lola Akinmade

The fresh rebirth Spring brings lures us outdoors to take in the warm air and enjoy early hikes, and we’ve provided tons of exciting, hiking options here on Matador.

From the best hikes in Puerto Rico and Maine to hiking the Inca trail in Peru and trekking Torres Del Paines in Patagonia, it’s time to get back to nature in the most organic way possible – one footstep at a time.

David DeFranza takes us through 13 Of The World’s Richest National Parks – from the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park in Mongolia to Yosemite National Park in the US.

Want to live to be a hundred years old? Try hiking the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Tai Shan in China – a sacred mountain which draws thousands of pilgrims each year.

Still looking for more inspiration before hitting the trails? Check out these hiking documentaries.

Photo Credit: Jason Mraz

Her one-of-a-kind job description is to ” keep the positivity flowing, keep our bodies clean and limber and to make our ever-changing surroundings a little more pleasing to all of the senses.”

Here are the things that she can’t live without on the road.

Fabric

A tapestry or fabric to hang in the dressing room or hotel room. It is often used to cover the “idiot box” and also to give the room a sense of home and to have some sort of grounding.

Aromatherapy

Lately I favor a diffuser and different essential oils, but an aromatic candle will do the job.

Healing stones

Black onyx (repels negative energy) and rose quartz (heals emotional wounds and opens the heart to unconditional love) are a couple of my choice ones.

iPod Stereo

So portable and easy to pop in and change the environment with your own choice of tunes for the moment. Random Dance parties and sing-a-longs are sure to follow.

Shiva Shakti Tonic

A spiritual tonic made by Ayurvedic extraordiniare, John Holmstrom of L.A. It cultivates compassion in body, mind, and soul by burning the toxic ama in the body.

It is only taken on days when it is really needed, but I bring it along everywhere.

I gave some to Jason before he left for the Grammy Awards and it kept him feeling the love all day and night long.

Wildbars

A raw, vegan superfood bar made by Ancient Sun Nutrition that picks you up, keeps you going, and gets your creative juices flowing.

Made with a full serving of cacao and wild blue green algae and it tastes like a candy bar.

You gotta try this!

Vitamineral Green

A green superfood powder from Healthforce Nutrition – 100% whole food, pure, raw vegan.

We love to make morning Green Shakes with this as the main ingredient, but a tablespoon or two in O.N.E. coconut water is a delight as well.

This product has changed the lives of more than half of our band and crew.

Yerba Mate

A South America tea that boosts immunity, cleanse and detoxifies the blood, tones the nervous system, combats fatigue, and stimulates the mind.

Without caffeine!

I love it iced on hot days too and favor the Guayaki Mint and The Mate Factor Dark Roast.

Yoga Mat

I love my Jade Harmony travel mat. It is super thin and light to carry, made from all eco products and is the perfect stickiness, even when practicing on a gravel driveway in 100 degree heat.

There is always a way to fit in some yoga anywhere, anytime.

Travel Hula Hoop

Our friend, Mandy in San Diego sent us off on this last tour with hula hoops that collapse!

She made them herself and really thinks she needs to start marketing them. They fit into our luggage and you can even sling it over your shoulder and walk about town with it folded up until you strike the fancy to hoop it up.

Best thing ever!

I’ve begun to think of my hula hoop as therapy because you really have to let go and put yourself out there – even though you know you’ll possibly look ridiculous.