Three years ago, when I got laid off after more than four years at my job, I packed up my bags and went off to explore. It was the most fantastic adventure as I hit up Peru, China, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Vietnam, and Hong Kong. This year, when COVID hit and halted the world in… Read More We’ve Gone Slo-madic — With a Pup!
It’s impossible to visit the city of Cartagena without noticing its gorgeous doors and colorful buildings. Well, these days it’s impossible to avoid them even if you don’t visit, as Cartagena’s doors are an Instagram favorite. Even I, someone who’s not a fan of “Instagram hot spot” trends, could not resist its allure. The rainbow… Read More The Many Gorgeous, Glorious Doors of Cartagena
Any female who has traveled, especially solo, no doubt has stories of experiencing sexual harassment while traveling. It wasn’t until last November though, after years of frequent travel, that an incident made me both pissed and wary enough to change my travel plans. It’s everywhere Go out with friends, and some guy will think he… Read More The First Time Sexual Harassment While Traveling Made Me Feel in Danger
One of my most poignant observations when I was in China in spring 2012 was how the state of the Chinese rail system reflected the country’s growing wealth gap. As I rode a variety of trains in China between September and November 2017, this disparity only became clearer. There are extremely old trains that rattle… Read More A Guide to Trains in China, from the Old-School to the High-Speed
Since I’ve been home from my travels, the two main questions I get asked are some variation of the following: “Where was your favorite place?” and “What did you learn about yourself?” While I have answers to those questions, perhaps the biggest change I found in myself was my improved ability to make what I’ve… Read More Fleeting Friends: On Making Friends While Traveling
I was a few rows behind in the crowd, but because I’m tall enough, I smiled real big and caught her attention. She looked me in the eye and smiled. Pleased to meet you, I said, not knowing how to properly address her. She extended her hand and I accepted. Pleased to meet you, too,… Read More The Dochula Druk Wangyel Festival: A Technicolor Himalayan Dream
Now that you know all about how to visit Bhutan, here are 10 surprising things you probably didn’t know about this Himalayan kingdom. Load up on these Bhutan facts before you go! (Warning: there are some NSFW photos below.) 1. The name Bhutan is a transcription The Bhutanese call their own country “Druk yul,” meaning… Read More 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Bhutan
I don’t know when I first heard of the Longhorn Miao. I just know that once I learned of the ethnic minority, it was hard to forget their distinctive headdresses. But I didn’t know much more about the Longhorn Miao, other than that they lived in southwestern China like so many of China’s other ethnic… Read More A Visit with the Longhorn Miao
The southwestern Chinese province of Guizhou captured my attention as soon as I learned that it was one of the most ethnically diverse provinces in China but wasn’t as commercialized as the ever-popular Yunnan province. So after exploring the gorgeous natural wonders of Guangxi, we hopped on a train from Guilin to the city of… Read More The Last Gun-Toting People of China
As the first hammering pounds came down on my back, I winced a bit and wondered whether I’d made a good decision. What if she injures me? As she worked her way down to my buttocks, I wondered what bruises I was going to end up with. Stop. If your mind is going somewhere illicit,… Read More You Haven’t Experienced Thailand Until You’ve Tried This Type of Massage