“Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventure.” I admit I only know a little about Quebec, that francophone region located right in the heart of North America. I am aware that it is Canada’s second largest (and second-most populous) province. And that 90% of its population lives within just a couple of hours of the border with the United States. But what about the other 10%? Where and how do they live? What’s there to do beyond … [Read more...]
Conquering the Iron Road of Saguenay
"Abdul! Are you enjoying the views," he asks me in his thick, Quebecois accent. "I'm trying not to!" I bark back at him, just barely managing not to suppress a barrage of foul language. Cedric, my guide, watches on in amusement, a thick smirk covers his unshaven face. I'm balancing on the narrow beams of a hanging bridge, 85 meters long but only 20 cm wide, some 150 meters above Saguenay fjord (280 feet, 8 inches and 500 feet, respectively). The … [Read more...]
Lessons From A Near Death in Namibia
Clutching my throat, I asked my guide Hans, “Do you know what plant this is?” “That’s not a good plant. It’s poisonous, and you shouldn’t touch it. You need to wash your hands thoroughly.” “But, I put it in my mouth.” Blank stare, followed by Hans’s eyes growing wider. “I took a bite of it and now my mouth is burning. Really burning. It’s like I’m gargling with carbolic acid,” I managed to explain in a hoarse voice, as my throat … [Read more...]
Exodus Travels Launches the World’s Biggest Adventure Travel Contest
Travelers share bucket list picks for a chance to win one trip every year for their entire life Win a Trip for Life with Exodus Travels Toronto, Canada. Pioneering tour operator Exodus Travels is making history with the launch of a travel contest that is truly the first of its kind. #LifeofExodus contest offers travelers across the United States and Canada the chance to fulfill their dreams of wanderlust and to win one trip a year for the … [Read more...]
She Becomes a Judge and I Become a Mountain Nomad
As usual, I was in my office sipping my cup of soy latte when I heard screaming from a group of female colleagues down the hallway. Having been here at this office for 13 years, my first thought was, “Oh, someone just announced she’s engaged or having a baby.” My legal office is full of female attorneys. Actually, a majority of them are females. I hit 40 this year. So, as you can see, I spent majority of my fertile years as a female in this work … [Read more...]
Nine Reasons to Visit the Azores Now
Name the group of nine European islands merely four-and-a-half hours from Boston Logan Airport. Stumped? You are not alone. Most of America has never heard of the Azores, couldn't locate them on a map, and wouldn't know what part of Europe claims them as countrymen. For the few who do know of the Atlantic eden 900 miles west of Portugal, this Zion is a cherished gift and a dichotomous burden. On one hand, the beauty and virginal nature of the … [Read more...]
The Hardest Place in the World to Visit
The covering has the disconcerting effect of obnubilating as well as illuminating the woman behind it. Shrouded in black niqab and ankle-length abaya, she floats towards me. Behind, her friends are firing salvos of cell-phone photos, as though we foreigners are exotic beasts in a zoo. She stops, and through her veil, in perfect English, asks, “Where are you from?” “California.” “What city?” “Los Angeles.” “What part?” … [Read more...]
Confessions of the First Travel Blogger
One of these claims to be “The Most Interesting Blogger in the World” I was surprised when I picked up a copy USAToday and saw an item that cited me as “The first travel blogger.” I doubt it, though I was early to the game, not long after Al Gore invented the Internet. In 1993 the term “blogger” didn’t exist, so what I was posting was a real-time serialized account of my travels. If that qualifies, then perhaps the first travel blogger was … [Read more...]
A Taste of Proper Fun: Bermuda
Like many who have survived into adulthood, I wince when I look back and recall some of the youthful antics I partook under the name of fun. Like a lad who graduates from cheap flavored whiskey to fine wine, I today prefer my fun with a dash of panache, a subtle aroma, and a delightfully delicate nose. So, of course, it is a treat to discover Bermuda, the place that practically invented proper fun, and which now embodies it. The demure … [Read more...]
The Realities of Adventure Travel Sometimes
I finally arrived in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan on the Eastern edges of Issyk-Kul Lake - ready to head up into the mountains that are always in view from wherever you are in this town. In late summer this town is extremely dusty - washing socks and shorts in a sink left the water brown again and again many times. This town looks like it has seen better days - most of the roads are dirt with lots of rocks and a number of the streets are torn up for … [Read more...]
