Comet was so happy she would be seeing her friend Earth again soon.

The story of Poopy the bird sailor.

When Poopy cracked open the shell of his egg and pushed his wet little head full of sticky feathers out into the morning, the first thing he noticed wasn't the bright light of the Mediterranean summer sun, but the salty ocean breeze that blew though the branches of the olive tree his mother had built their nest in. He took a deep breath and filled his tiny lungs with storm, his heart pounding, then he tore open his eyes and there it was: the world. Blue sky. Blue water. A touch of gray and dark green. He was raised by the sea.

From the nests in the trees around him he heard the occasional cheeping of other youngsters, but two weeks went by before his mother let him out of the nest to go play with his friends. They couldn’t wait to fly down to the harbor, steal breadcrumbs from the tables of the boardwalk cafés and take a look at the mighty tall ships.

I met Poopy the bird sailor on the aft deck of the legendary Sea Cloud, half way between Mallorca and Ibiza. He was sitting in the rigging, chirping and chatting, watching the windjammer's crew set sails and tweeted his bird commands at them. Then he looked at me. A bold and curious look. He squinted his eyes, fluffed up his feathers, and flew over. And then we were friends. 

Tips for traveling with small monkeys

Traveling with small monkeys is a challenging but very rewarding experience. Most European citys have discovered simian tourists as a promising target group and offer special packages for weekend trips. But there are still some things you should keep in mind when traveling with your furry friend. Before you hit the road I recommend you make sure to book into a hotel that is known for its monkey-friendliness. In Munich Motel One Sendlinger Tor has proven to be the perfect place for Who and me. No stares, no sneers, no problem - hotel guests and staff are pretty relaxed, even at breakfast time when the lobby can get really crowded.

Sightseeing tours are also a fun thing to do with monkeys. Who and I hopped on a bus at Munich central station and did the one hour tour of the most important sights. Although small monkeys are supposed to ride in your lap, you shouldn't have a problem with a well behaving monkey sitting in a regular seat when the tour isn't completely booked.

And then there's one special tip for travelers with a sweet fang. Café Maelu in Theatinerstrasse makes the most beautiful and perfect little cakes, every single one a wonderful little gift in a wonderful little black box. Monkeys just love them! Who truly couldn't get enough of the poppyseed-mousse-with-a-cassis-core "toertchens".

You know that you are traveling a lot, ...

... when the "welcome back" balloon you got after your last trip still looks good when you are leaving for the next one.