Eyes wide open as we circled the globe

Our guide in Penang, Malaysia, hopped onto our bus, introduced himself and said, “I am Sikh but as you see I do not wear a turban, I love beer and I enjoy spare ribs … I am a great disappointment to my mother.” Of course he got his laugh, but he also made his point. We could expect to be surprised.

In Thailand, our guide told us that coconuts are a big business, processed for their milk, husks, meat and, mostly, oil. Problem is, men had to climb the trees to bring down the coconuts — a costly operation in which a worker made 35 cents a day and could gather only 300 coconuts before nightfall. Then a plantation owner made a discovery that revolutionized the industry: Monkeys could be trained to pick coconuts.

“They pick 500 a day . . .,” the guide said, “and no union.” I wondered aloud if it could work in Congress.

I can’t imagine a more myth-melting, bias-busting, mind-expanding experience than stepping out of our lives for a while and traveling someplace that challenges all the “givens” we cling to with such certainty. Time was, nearly everybody lived and died in their own little corner of the world, sharing their values, religion, food and gene pool. The world was small and so, too, were the lives of most people. It was easy to stay put, safer and more comfortable.

But even then there were travelers who looked over the mountain and wanted to see what was there. Why? There’s always the George Mallory reason, but for me, it’s more about the limitations of our lives. Our days are numbered but our adventures can be boundless.

On our recent ’round the world trip, we walked in the footsteps of Marco Polo and Vasco da Gama. Well, yeah, that’s an exaggeration. Most times we were in vans or buses on land, and I don’t think Marco Polo got to Dubai, but we did enjoy the spectacle of the Emirates. Showtime, all the time. I learned there that you can’t kiss inside the mall but you can buy a variety of sexually enhancing potions and creams in the souks. Interesting, too, that Dubai is really pushing the tourist trade as a hedge against the day when its oil runs out. Everyone wants to see the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.