🇨🇦 Deep Six'd

Hello Adventurers, 

I've been back in Canada for a week, and can't even begin to express my renewed appreciation for sewage systems that can handle toilet paper, raised sidewalks, and drinkable tap water. Yes, the local sidewalks have been snowy...but I'm not bothered. I'm just glad we have them...because I've just returned from countries where they're often smashed to bits or non-existent. And clean water for all...I can't believe this still remains an issue in G20 Canada.

Best of all? I've been Pob-joyfully reunited with my super supportive wife! Her surname translates to 'laurel' in English...and this dual-citizen semi-Englishman has enjoyed my snuggles with the missus on the couch...but I'm gunning for a world record so I can't overly rest on my Portuguese laurels. As such, I'm still marathoning near daily, documenting what I come across, and punning through The Six with my prose...in this here issue of the newsletter.

And socially, it's been cool to catch up with old pals and learn if they've been up to anything new in my absence. And to counteract the cold weather, it's been Bob Marley-ian to receive warm messages of support from the deputy after the sheriff politically shot himself in the foot.

Lastly, just some housekeeping before we get into it: the 'field notes' section of the newsletter will return next week...because this week was killed by my on-going hunt for new shoes (more on that below), I was recently under the bright lights at Breakfast Television, and — if you're a patron of the monthly Pobjoy Postcard Project — it seems like the 'January batch from Argentina' are starting to arrive to subscribers in Toronto. I've said my prayers to the mail gods...so here's to hoping the postcards arrive to everyone else around the world. And, I think I'm going to be on CityNews tonight (Saturday, March 18th at 6PM EST and 11PM EST).

Oh, and this issue is a tad different than all the others; it's less of a 'report from the field' and more a 'knowledge share' for your benefit, one that's heavily informed by the lessons I learned / re-learned marathoning — and travelling through — the Americas and the Antilles.

- Ben Pobjoy

2023 TREK TRACKER

Where in the world...record am I?

• Countries visited: 16

• Flights taken: 25

• Kilometres flown: 37,227

• Marathons completed: 50

• Kilometres trekked by foot: 2,371

• Total kilometres trekked since 2015: 65,463

RAPID WEEKLY RECAP

A speedy synopsis for time-crunched readers

• The Wildest Thing: Before flying back to Toronto, I saw a man get fed into the x-ray machine at the airport in Puerto Rico...scroll through this IG carousel to see the WTF-ness😬

• The Biggest Obstacle: Returning to marathon in freezing temperatures didn't piss me off...but it cruelly reminded my bladder about cold-induced diuresis🥶

• The Lesson Learned: It's safer to behave like a wise(r) guest in someone else's country than a reckless tourist🧐

READY PLAYER ONE?

It's time to influence where I go next

After doing a Q1 postmortem with the missus over dumplings in Chinatown last night, we've agreed that the overseas Q2 phase of my Marathon Earth Challenge will be no more than eight weeks in length. And that it'll kick-off in mid-April...right after my Mum's birthday. That's not an 'us' thing, it's a 'me' thing ala me as infinite Momma's Boy.

Anyhoo, the Q2 leg will see me hoof marathons in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-as-east-as-India...done in that part of the world for as-optimal-as-possible-marathoning-weather at this time of year. And for context, I'll be hitting Europe in Q3 and spanking the rest of Asia in Q4.

I've only 'roughed out' a Q2 country wish list so far...but now I gotta lock-in flights, accommodations, and visas. But before I do, I'm inviting you to reply to this email, and offer suggestions on where you want to dispatch me-as-your-foreign-correspondent. So here's a visual of the Q2 zone for you to reference.

My only constraints are:

• To hit the world record, I need to average about five marathons a week all year-long. This means I generally need to stick close to places with airports...because I can't lose full days to things like long bus rides or long train rides. For example, in Bolivia I wish I could have marathoned the Salar de Uyuni but I had to stick to La Paz 'cause it was closer to the airport

• This is a self-funded project...so baller places are sorta outta budget (unless you're paying, LOL). As such, places like The Maldives — for example — are likely too expensive (for me) to hit

• I'm playing a long game in 2023, so I'm trying to minimize my exposure to risk. Failed states, unsafe places, and war zones are all no-go zones.

• I can't promise I'll visit every place suggested, but I'm trying my best to make this project — and the newsletter — as interactive as possible!

Reply ASAP 'cause I'm making some executive decisions the week of March 19th

BEST LOCAL THING-Y

If you're a longtime subscriber of this newsletter, you know I typically use this section to highlight the best regional fare I ate on one of my weekly marathons...but I'm taking a serious detour this week. And not through a drive-thru, but straight to Aida's kitchen.

Out of respect for someone's privacy, I gotta speak broadly...but when I was away on the Q1 leg of my Marathon Earth Challenge, we had a serious medical emergency in the family. As such, I was asked by the missus to be on standby...to possibly zip back north if things went south. And this request would've been a no-brainer to fulfill...because when duty calls, my dumb-ass answers (silly marathon project or not).

Anyway, I'm happy to report that things have miraculously stabilized, and this blessing enabled a decent portion of our family to have an over-portioned Portuguese feast.

It was delicious, but the salus was sweeter, and ultimately more important to savour than what was served.

The thing about food and eating is...is that sometimes it has less to do with what's on the table, and more to do with who's sitting around it. And thankfully, there wasn't an empty chair. Just writing that last sentence chokes me up...

...So just a nudge from me to you: grab your fam, grab some food, and gather 'round a table to toast everything with a Spanish ¡salud! (being an evolved offering to a Roman goddess) before you dig into the romaine or whatever the starter is. Regardless of where you are — or where the ingredients, meal or recipe comes from — a full table of friends and/or family is always gonna be the best thing-y; here, there or anywhere.

CECI N'EST PAS UNE SHOE REVIEW

What the Americas and the Antilles taught me about footwear

Last summer I walked into a Toronto shoe store wearing warn-out, ready-for-the-trash sneakers...and desperately needed some new daily cruisers. Anyhoo, I bought a pair of Nike AGC Mountain Fly Low Gore-Tex SE shoes for $200 USD...merely because they superficially looked kinda cool.

And for shits and giggles, I tested them out on a local marathon...and immediately hated them: they were too hot (due to being waterproof), too slow (due to their overly spongey sole), and too uncomfortable (due to their rubber outsole wrapping over the toe cap).

But whatever, they were just supposed to be dumb fashion shoes...well, until they weren't! You see, I was going to get proper shoes for the first leg of my Marathon Earth Challenge...but then all the prep and planning took way longer than expected (because this is a one man show). And then money got tight because I had to prioritize getting an international phone plan from an American telco...because Canadian telcos are pricey. And yes, I know there are eSIM providers with global plans...but their connectivity is still unreliable (and I made a commitment to the missus that we'd speak daily at 7PM EST...and I had to be accessible to the media to do interviews).

And boom...just like that, I landed in Bogóta on New Year's Day after a red-eye flight in the damn Nikes...to do ten weeks of marathons in them. I had some reservations, but the shoes proved my initial misgivings wrong.

Anyway, here are some very important things the Nikes — and the Americas as well as the Antilles — taught me about footwear needs in this part of the world (this visual will contextualize some of the terms in the proceeding bullet points):

• Bring black, non-porous shoes with you. The pollution, dust, dirt, and grime will turn fibrous shoes (be they white or coloured) into a disgusting monstrosity. Black doesn't prevent this, but it hides it better...especially if the 'upper' can be wiped down

• Due to how raw and rugged the cities are (as well as the trails), I wouldn't wear anything other than a built-like-a-tank 'trail shoe' in this part of the world

• The sidewalks — if they even exist — are often crumbling and jagged, so you need big 'lugs' on a rugged 'outsole'. A 'racing shoe' will go bald, and get slippy fast

• The sidewalks are so chipped that you need a shoe with a serious 'toe cap' that's reinforced with 'toe overlays'. I accidentally stubbed my toes hundreds of times, and a lesser shoe would've split at the seams

• Because of loose rocks everywhere, a shoe with an 'integrated gaiter' is highly recommended (or at least a shoe with a 'gaiter attachment'). When your feet are tender and pulverized, an unwanted rock in the shoe is enough to make an adult cry like a baby

• The elevation gain is real in many of these places; so you need soles with reliable traction (especially in wet places where the grime turns slick)

• Because many places have sanitation challenges, there's unavoidable pools of sloshy, trash-filled sewage. I didn't like wearing hot waterproof shoes...but my feet were bloody and blistered at times...and Gore-Tex kept them dry...so the pee pee poo poo puddles didn't seep into my shoes and usher in infections (which would've been disastrous)

• A shoe with a spongey 'midsole' and a spongey 'heel crash pad' are highly advisable because of all the stones, the aggressive slope of some descents, and for the times where you're on the ankle-aggravating uneven shoulder of roads (when there isn't a sidewalk). Bo Knows these elevated soles are biomechanically bad — and I agree — but I'm going hard right now and need the softness

So would I recommend the Nikes? Well, they did endure 2,322 kilometres in 74 days and didn't fall apart...which is remarkable...because the conventional recommendation is that shoes are only good for 750-ish kilometres.

So the quality was there...but Nike discontinued the model...and that's why I took to social media this week to seek recommendations for new kicks.

I don't yet know what brand — or model of shoe — I'll be wearing in Q2...but I sure as shit know what type of shit kickers I need to kick asphalt ahead.

POBJOY'S GLOBAL PRICE INDEX

This is an on-going documentation of how much things cost in different places around the world. Here are some of the things I bought in Toronto (all prices converted to USD):

• A medium soy latte with tip from a café in the west end of town: $5.45

• Two vegetarian cold rolls, a tofu cashew vegetable noodle stir fry with tip from a restaurant in the middle of town: $19.25

• A cinnamon bun and two Nanaimo bars with tip from a bakery in the east end of town: $15

MARATHON MUSINGS

A screed about shadows and safety

Shadow work is one of the more recent new age crazes...where the self-obsessed like to imagine what shadowy bits and bobs may lurk in their unconscious mind. I think it's a little daft...because if you want to know your darkness...then just look at your internet browser history, nahmean?

Anyhoo...

I am a serious believer in one sort of shadow.

And I'll tell you how to work it for your own benefit in a sec.

But first...

I want you to know that the Q1 leg of my Marathon Earth Challenge was an overwhelming success. And not because of all the countries I visited or because of all the marathons I completed, but because I made it back alive and happy. Sure, I got robbed again by some cops in Mexico...but that's just a lil toll road tax with some balaclava costuming and gun-felt-on-your-back theatre for drama. And rest assured that Mexico is largely self-levelling when shit gets too egregious. That said, none of my Q1 accomplishments would matter if I'd been whacked.

And while some of my success was attributable to luck, much had to do with the praxxis gleaned from the lessons learnt trekking 63,000+ kilometres by foot across six continents before this project started.

So what's the shadow? It's my new proprietary invisibility cloak that you can buy from my Amazon store for four equal payment instalments of...Really, it's just trying your best to be unflinchingly alert, bland in your behaviour, and appearing more 'background boring' than foreground sparkly and noticeable.

You may not be a marathoner, but you likely travel. Me? I take both to the extreme, and these simple steps may help you stay safe(r) in some of the spicier parts of the Americas and the Antilles:

• Dress to un-impress: no flashy colours, no flashy jewelry, and no flashy branding. I generally wear black bottoms and white tops (and neither has big logos)

• Decentralize your cash: I'm too dumb for crypto...but smart enough to know that a a big wad in a small wallet hurts the bottomline when you're pickpocketed from your bottoms. Spread small bills around your garments, and choose garments with zippered pockets so you don't get slipped. Cash...physical bank cards...and a smartphone with digital cards...they all gotta be kept apart on you...like, it should never all be kept in one pocket or one bag

• Know exchange rates and currency symbols: Certain countries have their own currencies but prefer Yankee Doodle Greenbacks. If you're paying with card via POS transaction, make sure the 80 Gilders ain't being charged to you as 80 Greenbacks...meaning always look for currency symbols before you enter your PIN

• Tech isn't for show-and-tell...unless you're showing it off to tell people to rob you: smartphones and cameras shouldn't stay in your hand or be slung over your shoulder any longer than necessary. When not is use, keep them in a sturdy, body-strapped bag that has a reliable closure

• Fasten it down: My vibe is backpack or nada...and with the backpack straps pulled taut and the chest strap engaged. Totes, clutches, purses, and anything on the shoulder...it's asking to be grabbed, snatched or yanked off of you. And your bag has to remain in your line of sight when you're in cafés, restaurants, and places of that ilk. In those environments, I prefer to step through a strap and keep it in-between my legs if I'm seated

• Daylight savings: 'Cause being out in the dark late at night is often more costly

• Wallflowers thrive: In markets and busy strips, stay on the outside versus doing 'a salmon run' right down the middle of crowds

• Not a peep: You don't owe anyone any convo. Ignore the 'opportunistic too-nicers' that inquire as to where you're from, where you're staying or where you're going

• Not a sound: No earphones... well, until you get the lay of the land so you don't get played. Me, I don't do earphones because I always want to hear the whistles of spotters...and be able to discern what's a firework and what's gunfire (especially when I'm trying to geolocate how far either is from me)

• Don't touch: And it goes both ways...don't let people put stuff on you like bracelets (i.e. scam), don't pick up things you think someone just accidentally dropped (i.e. scam), and don't fall for someone asking you to practice their English over a drink in a business (i.e. scam).

• And for the dumb-ass dudes: If she's a 10 — and you're at a bar and you're anything less than a 10 — don't kid yourself (i.e. take notice of the big dudes orbiting the periphery, not her...they'll be the ones who fuck you...up)

• Gut and ghost: Don't be pleasant...if your gut senses something's off GTFO sans need to justify it to anyone

• Check the seal: In markets, inspect the bottle before purchase...if not, you may end up drinking switcheroo non-potable water...and self-crown yourself prince or princess of the porcelain throne

• Eat plant-based: If you're a carne freak in streets...expect diarrhea in the sheets. I didn't once catch a stomach bug or get an upset stomach...because I don't eat unrefrigerated meat laying out in the sun before it's butchered on some chopping block that's never cleaned

• I hate to say it, but Uber: If the whip doesn't have a fare meter, it's fair to assume the final rate could end up off the charts

Most importantly, act like a mindful guest when you're travelling...it's way safer than mistreating places like they're your plaything (which invites risk and danger).

And if you live in a place where you can go wild and get obliterated and buy drugs from randos and believe cops are your friends — and not get robbed, scammed, assaulted or worse — then recognize that it's a paradisal anomaly. This isn't often the norm elsewhere.

I don't mention the above to scare you (I know the world to be more good than bad). It's just that I've seen a lot, and know it's safer to be the shadow than a shining example of suckerhood.

And look, we all get ripped off at some point on our travels no matter how alert we are...because scams always evolve (or are sometimes simply unavoidable). Don't take it personally, it's just an element of how some local economies work (i.e. they work you).

And know this, I've got a nonnegotiable; my wife's insistence that I always wear my wedding ring. So should I be a finger short one day, you'll know I gave marriage the finger...even though I'm happily married.

The big gulp ahead, is the acknowledgment that tourism-dependent places are pretty rational (including the bad actors). Neither like the bad press — and financial implications — of dead tourists. It's the places where foreigners are ideologically hated that test one's mettle and situational mindfulness. There, that's where the irrational and reactionary shit goes down...which is way more challenging to plan for. And if it does go down, may I be in new Gore-Tex sneakers with a high midsole to safely hover over it all.

Have any questions about the content of this newsletter? Reply to it, and I'll try and answer you when it's safe to do so!