We arrived in at Beijing International, always an overwhelming airport based on its immense girth. But our gate was very close to immigration and we breezed through without much delay as officials kept opening new lanes as the lines swelled from the arriving flights. We discovered a small short-stay airport hotel and without hesitation spent the $40 for a two hour stay. Showers after long flights are one of the best things one can gift one's body … [Read more...]
Penang Hill or Bust & the Lights of Kek Lok Si Temple
My friend dropped me off at the base of Penang Hill. He had strongly recommended I climb this in the early morning, but the night before we were out until nearly midnight enjoying the Chinese New Year festivities. Borrowing his umbrella, a lifesaver from the hot tropical sunshine, I set out on the Heritage Trail. This path, founded in 1890, led nearly straight up the mountain, climbing some nearly 800 meters to the top. It followed the funicular … [Read more...]
Wine Tasting in India?
When I told my brother in law that we were visiting Nashik in India to try their wines, his response was something like, "when I was growing up in Chennai, Indian wines were not considered very good". That was in the 1970s and 1980s. Things have changed in this regard with a select number of Indian wineries having elevated viticulture practices and winemaking, Chandon India being on the forefront of doing so. I arrived in Mumbai from Bangkok; … [Read more...]
Set me Free, Koh Tao Island, Thailand
One of Thailand's more beautiful islands is located about 1:15 minutes from the pier in Chumphon by water taxi. This is the shortest distance from the mainland although ferries also run from Surathani, further to the south. All tickets can be purchased online. This island offers an ideal balance between tourist infrastructure and natural beauty. Normally Koh Tao would be crowded with both Thai tourists as well those visiting primarily from … [Read more...]
Visiting North Korea (not really)
During a recent visit to Yangon, Myanmar a friend of a friend working in the city informed us about a North Korean restaurant within a 10 minute drive of where we were staying (the Merchant Art Boutique Hotel). My only other experience with North Korea was in Dandong, China. An old military bridge (today called the Friendship Bridge) extends half way across the Yalu River. I was there in the middle of winter and I remember it was extremely … [Read more...]
Saskatchewan, Moldovan Wine Cave & a Saskatoon Restaurant: How do they all Connect?
As we descended onto the twinkling lights of Saskatoon below we flew next to a significant lightning storm. Jagged bolts of lightning lit up massive thunderheads for a moment - alternating between bright white and pink light. This lightning is the cause of hundreds of fires that are burning out of control in the northern part of the province having displaced some 13,000 people. The economy seems to be doing well here according to my driver … [Read more...]
Start Building a Bucket List For 2015. Consider these!
It is never to late to build your personal bucket list - creating a list of must do activities and experiences. Our motto as it relates to travel is, "do it while you can", and now is the perfect time to start planning some trips and experiences for 2015. One company, Contiki Tours offers a number of worldwide based activities and experiences for those in the 18-35 range. Here are a few suggestions to get you started. Climb a Mountain - choose … [Read more...]
No Rest for the Weary – Trekking in Ala Archa, Kyrgyzstan
Armed with a variety of informative paragraphs gleaned from Goats on the Road, A Monk Bought Lunch, Backpacking Man and Wandering Earl and not much else in the way of plans we set off to explore the beautiful country of Kyrgyzstan. After 36 hours of planes and airports I landed in the warm air and darkness of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan at 5am. Hopping into a taxi where I was treated to music from the band Abba, silence from the driver after … [Read more...]
Exploring Kokoda Papua New Guinea
Today we hiked to Kokoda - about a 50 minute walk. Our host family in Beleni village walks this every day for vegetables and fruit as that is the main method of transportation here. They said this is very short walk for them; I hate to see what a long walk would would be like! There is a concrete slab where ladies walk from nearby villages and sell mostly vegetables - small bundles are tied up neatly and are displayed on their plastic sheets. … [Read more...]
Top 3 Las Vegas Buffets Worth Checking Out – Guest Post
There are plenty of great restaurants in Las Vegas to try out during your upcoming trip, but filling up at one of the many Las Vegas hotel buffets is worth at least one meal! Actually, you might as well count that meal as “two,” since we know you won’t be calling it quits after the first plate. It’s all about indulging yourself in Las Vegas Hotels so save the guilt for the plane ride home! Las Vegas buffets are ideal for groups that can’t seem … [Read more...]