Some of the best experiences we have in the United States occur when traveling and some of our best experiences when traveling are due to spontaneity. I am always driving around the U.S., either for work or fun, and more often than not an impulsive detour is part of the agenda. One of the more enjoyable, and surprisingly economical, detours started off as a weekend visit to Pittsburgh, PA. It quickly became something more. Pittsburgh, … [Read more...]
A Teacher’s Story: My Gaijin Experience In Japan
I’ve always had a curiosity about life outside of the United States. Geography was my favorite subject as a child. I first heard of Japan in the fourth grade when my teacher would go on xenophobic rants about how the Japanese were determined to take over the world and eventually own America. Due to circumstances, I would have to wait until my mid-twenties before going abroad. One day, my life took a drastic turn. My first serious relationship … [Read more...]
Staying at Eugene Oregon’s Inn at the 5th Perfect for Exploring Southern Willamette Valley Wineries
Downtown Eugene Oregon is decidedly more laid back and outdoorsy than much larger and more renowned Portland to the north. The University of Oregon's extensive in-town footprint and streets packed with local non-chain shopping make it a pedestrian haven. Strolling here especially on weekends during the warmer months envelops you in the city's music scene like a sax player belting out tunes under a cavernous overpass enhancing the acoustics and … [Read more...]
“Advancing in a different direction.” The lows and highs of an Indian Ayurveda Retreat
There is a slither of daylight creeping through the windows that are covered by heavy red drapes. I stay in bed to keep warm. My room is just as bad this morning as it was in the dark on arrival last night. There’s a draught from the chimney, so I adjust the wood cover to prevent cold air from entering. The hard floor is ice cold when I put my feet down. From my window, the sky is misty over the hills outside. The window is slightly open and I … [Read more...]
Gray Fossil Site: An Accidental Discovery
On the morning of January 20, 2018, I found myself roaming the back roads of Washington County, Tennessee with my camera and an itchy shutter finger. I had been in Kingsport for a week on business and was desperate to find something to write about in the area. It was by pure coincidence that I happened upon Gray Fossil Site and General Shale Natural History Museum. Dig Site In May of 2000, a Tennessee DOT crew was grading an unsafe hill … [Read more...]
MGM Springfield: The Fresh—and Fun—Face of History
Ahh, NOW I see why those Old Fashioneds were appearing on our table like multiplying rabbits. Those canny mixmasters at the MGM Springfield’s Commonwealth bar were thinking if I had a snootful, I’d likely order their $25,000 “Indian Sidecar” drink, which is made with a 1901 Croizet cognac. Oh, I guess I should mention: if you do buy the drink, it also comes with a new Indian motorcycle. Why a 1901 cognac and why an Indian bike to go along with … [Read more...]
Semi-Quarantine in Singapore
Semi-Quarantine in Singapore Or The Best Laid Plans of Men and Microbes By Joshua Samuel Brown, Special for Dave’s Travel Corner “Mmm…yes. Tsk.” Doctor Eung shone his light into my partner’s inflamed right ear canal. “You say you flew yesterday, is it?” Stephanie nodded grimly, her face swollen in several places. “Better you had not,” said the doctor. The illness had hit a few days earlier, caught from an old friend in … [Read more...]
Road Trip Part 4: The Salton Sea and Grand Canyon
In my early days of back-to-back cross-country road trips, my knowledge of photography was lacking, and my equipment was limited to a subpar cell phone camera. I have since learned the value of a good DSLR or mirrorless camera, as well as the versatility of a drone in capturing travel related photos. Still, I look back on my old road trip pictures with a nostalgia that's due in small part to their lower quality. It reminds me more vividly where I … [Read more...]
Road Trip Part 3: San Diego and Encinitas
International travelers are more than happy to tell you all about the people, places, and cultures of the world. There is nothing that can compare to the experience of exploring ancient cities in far away countries. To be emersed in the customs of a foreign land is an escape from one's self and education in life. In the U.S. we are so fascinated by the cultures of other countries that we often take for granted the diversity within our borders. … [Read more...]
Road Trip Part 2: Tucson to Alpine
When I decided to take my first cross-country road trip, in April of 2012, the destination was originally set as Tucson, AZ. A close friend had moved there a few years prior, and he really seemed to love it. Having spent most of my life in Northern Indiana, I was fed up with cold weather and dreamed of visiting a climate that was completely different. My trip was as much about scouting for a possible move as it was a new adventure. When I arrived … [Read more...]
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