Globe Trotter - by Taha Jiwaji

We begin our journey at home
A quite suburb of Dar-es-Salaam, on the edge of the city center
Traces of development; finally a tarmac road outside my gate
The exploration, the adventure begins
What’s next on the itinerary?

The souks of Dubai are bustling with activity
Gold litters the windows I pass
On the horizon gigantic glass skyscrapers
A perfect mesh of east and west, tradition and modernization

An overwhelming stench as soon as you step out of the airport
Flyovers zig-zag this bulging, bulging city
Mumbaites cram the local trains
I pass the corner store with the mouthwatering ‘mithais’(sweets)
Ancient temples next to glitzy malls, says it all

Next stop, Piccadilly Circus
People of all shades flock to watch the jester
A short nap in Hyde Park on a beautiful summer day
Grab the tube, I’m late for tea with the Queen.

The Big Apple, just woke up
The Wall Street types swarm the city
But wait, a quick stop at Starbucks for overpriced coffee
The Nigerian cab driver doesn’t have a clue where I want to go

My first steps on Latin American soil
Replace the Spanish with Swahili and you’d be mistaken it’s Dar.
Water for the people of Yoro!
Stomach get ready, it’s a heavy dose of rice and beans.

I can see why the Spanish conquered these lands,
The balmy winds, the white beaches, cascading waterfalls
There’s more public holidays then weekends in Puerto Rico
If only our journey weren’t about to end.