Thanks to our contributor Ragil for this piece - less stress on the home front hopefully equates to less stress on vacations! The stress of day to day family life is enough to get any of us wound up from time to time. Sticking to timetables, cleaning up the place and dealing with the inevitable family disputes can make even the most laid back of us feel a bit stressed out now and again. Sometimes all you need to do is something simple to … [Read more...]
Budget-Friendly Excursions in Florida
Florida is an iconic state. When someone says Florida, they imagine sprawling Disney theme parks, bright sun and beaches that attract beautiful, chiseled people. One might also imagine a Florida holiday costing a fortune, but if you plan ahead you can have the trip of your dreams without emptying your bank account, from cheap Florida flights to lazy days on the beach. Try to avoid planning your trip at a time that will coincide with … [Read more...]
Sumatran Blend, Ripples on the Edge of Time: Toba or not Toba?
An American backpacker treats Sumatra, Indonesia’s “Lake Toba”--filled with crunchy Elysian entrepots --as a writers’ retreat where backing off comes with the territory “Characters are just like black marks on paper. . . --William Gass, Fiction and the Right of Life I arrive by high-speed hydrofoil across the Malacca Straits to Medan, the ersatz capital of Sumatra, during Ramadan. I was, of course, on my way to flop down and relax at the … [Read more...]
Down The Colorado River, Through The Grandest Of Canyons
Hiking out of the Grand Canyon — 8 miles, 5,000 feet — felt like re-emerging from a quiet haven inside the earth to stand again atop the soil of civilization. Back up here it's a hot and crowded mess. Everything feels excessive. Everyone seems oblivious. The chaos is distinct after having been so deeply peaceful and disconnected. It feels like I’ve been gone for months, yet it's only been seven days. We saw so much in those 90 miles rafting … [Read more...]
War and Peace and Napoleon
I’ve always had a thing for Napoleon Bonaparte. After all, he was a pretty amazing guy. In addition to his military exploits, he oversaw the centralization of the French government, established the Bank of France, got the French people to accept the metric system (something I doubt even Barack Obama could do in the United States), reformed the law (the Napoleonic Code still forms the basis of legal process in a quarter of the world), and … [Read more...]
A Visit to Munich Germany
I made it to Munich in one piece! Let's just say that's thanks in part to the complimentary wine and liberal alcohol laws on my flight. After getting my luggage, I met my German host family that I'll be staying with for the next two weeks - Hans und Gaby. Gaby was holding one of those signs with my name on it, I felt like I was powerful or something. About fifteen seconds after meeting, they shepherded me to the nearest Biergarten, which … [Read more...]
An Unfinished Dream
Every Wednesday evening between March and October, Charles Dickens visits the house in which he made an early London home. He must have great affection for it. “Oliver Twist” was born here; so were his two eldest daughters...At 7:30, the lights in the basement library are dimmed, and a long-haired actor in full Victorian dress strides through the open door, marches towards a burgundy-coloured velvet armchair, and regales his “guests,” their … [Read more...]
Be a Part of It: Top Five New York Experiences
In a city as celebrated as New York, first-time visitors are usually overwhelmed with the sheer amount of things they simply must do. From buggy rides in Central Park to trips up the Empire State - not to mention the stores, museums and restaurants you’ll need to fit in too – where do you begin? But who’s to say you need to replicate the New York experiences seen on your cinema screen or in tourist guides? Sure, there are those activities … [Read more...]
To the Lighthouse (Ila Al-Manara)
You can't understand the sense of triumph I felt as I crossed the street unless you've been to Beirut, a city in which I had been in and out over a two year span. My latest stint was nearing its end and I felt reflective and nostalgic and disappointed that the world has decided where you are allowed to live and work based on the coincidence of your birth. I had resolved to take advantage of a hole in the stormy sky and wander the streets of what … [Read more...]
Myanmar or Burma – What’s in a Name?
The excitement and optimism in the Yangon air these days is palpable. In 2011 the impossible happened. The half century of rule by an oppressive military junta was over and longtime political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi had been released and duly elected to parliament. It was shortly after her election that I met with Burmese friends in a crowded coffee shop on Bogyoke Aung San Road, not far from Scott Market. We were there to talk … [Read more...]
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