I AM WEARING a helmet and a life vest, paddle in hand, ready to take on the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe.

I AM STEPPING into a taxi the hotel has called for me, which will take me to an interesting artifact here in Turks and Caicos.

I AM KISSING a hippopotamus on the snout. It is wet, not smooth but not rough, dimpled and dotted, with small stiff bristles protruding from the leathery skin. This 3000-pound hippo’s name is Jessica.

I AM COUNTING foreign currency I have just picked up from my bank. It is so convenient to place an order with Bank of America then collect it 2 or 3 days later.

I AM GETTING out of a taxi in Rome, Italy. My plan this beautiful sunny morning is to visit the church of St. Francis of Assisi, to see the stone this ascetic monk used for a pillow 800 years ago.

I AM STROLLING past a long line of older Chinese ladies sitting at little tables in a park in Beijing, China. I ask my guide what is going on and he tells..

I AM RIDING in the front seat of Alessandro‘s SUV, driving on a twisting, winding mountain road, barely wide enough for two cars to pass. I close my eyes when a car approaches from the opposite direction. Alessandro and the other driver carefully maneuver their cars and expertly manage the narrow passage. I can’t look. I could never drive on such a road.