We spent the better part of the afternoon husking and opening very mature coconuts in preparation for a big dinner tonight (coconut curry). I had flashbacks of Wilson in that Tom Hanks movie from several years ago. I've eaten hundreds of coconuts over the years but never from one that had already started sprouting. The inside of the coconut fills with a white foam like growth which can then be eaten in its own right or more appealingly sucked on … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2011
Southern Jordan, Fun in the Sun
We are watching the sun slowly drop below the Egyptian skyline here on the edge of the Red Sea merely 3 clicks from the Saudi border. It is so quiet from our mountain side desert perch. 6 minutes walking gets us to the beach. The air is warm and intoxicating. We are on the Jordanian side now. This arm of the Red Sea contains the world's most northerly coral reefs. The Red Sea is full of coral and brightly colored fish. Just got in from a 1 … [Read more...]
Deadline and Last Call for 2011 Around the World Travel Adventure Competition
SANTA MONICA, CA (5 January 2011) - Outside magazine calls it, "One of the 50 Most Amazing Trips in the World," Peter Greenberg says that, "Unlike The Amazing Race, this challenge is more about your ability to connect with cultures," while NationalGeographic.com says the travel competition is, "like Survivor, The Amazing Race and the Eco-Challenge all rolled into one except with much more cultural interaction." The 7th annual Global Scavenger … [Read more...]
Scottevest No Baggage Challenge for Charity to Benefit the Haiti Plunge
Travel Clothing Company Teams up with Tech Blog Gear Diary for a Clothes-on-their-Back Journey to CES to Help a Good Cause LAS VEGAS, NV - January 5, 2011 - Most attendees at trade shows wind up carrying pamphlets, samples and bags of swag as sponsors vie for their attention; visitors to this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) are no exception. This "hands full" situation is met with an intriguing counterpoint as challengers in a … [Read more...]
The Best Travel Book I Read in 2010
This list compiled by Scott Lackey, Sanctuare Lola Akinmade, @lolaakinmade: The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuscinski Best Travel Writing compiled by Traveler's Tales 2010 Marco Polo Didn't Go There by Rolf Potts Catherine Amorose The Lost Girls: 3 Friends. 4 Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World by Jennifer Baggett, Holly Corbett, Amanda Pressner Ellen Barone, @ellenbarone: Lost Angel Walkabout … [Read more...]
Thailand Village musings
So I'm back in my wife's village after a hectic several weeks of travel in Japan and Thailand (hence the shortage of blog posts). This is Eastern Thailand, about 90 minutes from the wild outpost of Poipet, on the Thai/Cambodian border. I've been coming here at least once a year for nearly the past 10 years for 5-6+ weeks at a time. This is a great escape from the city and urban life not to mention the undesirable weather in most of California at … [Read more...]
‘Discover Torrance’ Visitors Bureau Created To Promote Tourism To This Los Angeles County City
Torrance, CA (January 3, 2011) - In a bid to create a greater awareness for itself as an affordable, safe, and attractive Southern California tourism destination, a lodging group of 14 hotels of more than 50 rooms has partnered with the City of Torrance and the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce to create Discover Torrance (a non profit 501c6 organization), the official visitors bureau for Torrance, California. Additionally, Heather Johnston … [Read more...]
Past Meets High-Tech Present in San Luis Obispo’s New Historical Tour Podcast
90-Minute Multimedia Walking Tour Explores Rich Roots of 'Happiest' USA Destination SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA (January 03, 2011) -- People around the world recently learned of San Luis Obispo, CA thanks to its new, highly publicized designations as the 'Happiest Place in the US' (Thrive, National Geographic: 2010) and one of the top ten "Best Places to Retire" (Wall Street Journal, October 2010); but the idyllic destination, perfectly poised halfway … [Read more...]
Moon Tahiti from Avalon Travel
Avalon Travel Publishing has launched the 7th edition of Moon Tahiti by David Stanley. Since 1989, Moon Tahiti has been the leading travel guidebook to French Polynesia and this new edition incorporates the latest restaurant, resort, and transportation news. Stanley has been covering the South Pacific for over three decades and he knows the region better than any other travel writer. Packed into Moon Tahiti’s 353 indexed pages are 53 maps and … [Read more...]
Do not do this in a Bangkok Taxi!
Took this picture from back seat of taxi. Left to Right: No Crazy reindeer allowed in taxi? No weapons, certainly you wouldn't want that AK47 in the back seat. What, no doggy style? And right, wolves are not a good idea either, or perhaps that is a dog! … [Read more...]