Sometimes it is better to travel and be surprised by a destination rather then trying to do research ahead of time. My time in Seville has given me a new perspective about this beautiful part of Spain and my trip here has been without any preconceived expectations. Previously I had only heard of Sevilla through an opera that was based on a story about a barber - other than this fragment of knowledge I knew nothing about this charming little town … [Read more...]
A Speech on Travel in Almaty, Kazakhstan
An acquaintance I met on Couch Surfing a few nights ago is a member of a local Toastmaster's club here in Almaty. A day ago she informed me that she would like me to be the guest speaker at their upcoming bi monthly meeting which draws both students and expats. Toastmasters started in Santa Ana California as one small club in 1924 and now has local chapters in over 120 countries often with multiple meetups/groups in the same city. Their focus … [Read more...]
Arriving in Almaty, Kazakhstan
I left Chopan Alta, Kyrgyzstan at 8am this morning and arrived in Almaty, Kazakhstan at nearly 6pm. If there wasn't a mountain range between these two points, a line of site drive would probably be a few hours at most - but the route around these mountains through the main border crossing is much longer. Kazakhstan recently opened the border as visa free for citizens of the USA as well as select other countries on a trial basis and supposedly … [Read more...]
In Search of the Elusive Trinidad Moruga Scorpion
After languidly hanging out on the beaches in and surrounding Maracas I headed across the island of Trinidad. This was no easy feat - I was told to expect treacherous roads and this was certainly a correct assessment. The first sign I reached said 18 km to a small town of Arima (my destination). After navigating this steep, wet, extremely narrow road - which was full of pot holes, some seemingly the size of small golf carts - and branches and … [Read more...]
The Luxurious MGM Grand, Las Vegas
As a guest of the MGM PR team I was in Las Vegas to cover the iHeartRadio Festival and a number of related activities. I stayed at the MGM Grand for 3 nights. MGM Grand exceeded my expectations. A waiting limousine whisked me from the airport to my room. The driver was friendly and we soon struck up a conversation; he grew up only less than 5 minutes away from my hometown. Besides the driver being personable, it was a pleasure to enjoy the … [Read more...]
‘One Couch at a Time’ Documentary
Devolver Digital Films to Distribute Epic Indie Sharable-Life Documentary: ‘One Couch at a Time’ Releasing in Select Theaters and VOD this Fall – What would you share with a stranger? - Follow director/producer Alexandra Liss as she taps into the couch-surfing community and discovers a life[style] worth sharing - Austin, Texas -- August 24, 2013 – Devolver Digital Films announced today it has inked a deal to distribute One Couch at a Time, … [Read more...]
Don’t break the Bank – Trip Planning
Travel can be very expensive - but with some planning there are certainly ways an independent traveler can cut down on costs. Type in "budget travel" in Google; Google is always generous with listings but for these key words it is especially generous. A recent query spit out approximately 38 million hits! Where to start your research? Since airfare is often the highest expense on a trip - in our experience it is wise to try a number of outlets … [Read more...]
Adam Pervez: Travel Writer, Speaker
Photos courtesy of Adam Pervez - Adam is currently on a round the world trip (RTW), exploring his passions by traveling to remote places and learning what happiness means to people and cultures globally. He shares his experiences and thoughts on his website, the Happiness Plunge. Recently we had a chance to ask Adam about his travels and travel philosophy. Q. What is the "Happiness Plunge"? The Happiness Plunge is when … [Read more...]
The Insanity-Producing, Migraine-Inducing Experiences of trying to Travel The World on a Thailand Passport with your American Husband
Oh the joys of trying to visit countries with a Thailand passport. While not the lowest of the low, trying to visit many countries around the world using a Thailand passport is about scraping the bottom of the barrel and is about as difficult as it gets. My wife is from Thailand and until she can get USA citizenship these are some of the fun times we have experienced trying to travel. We either try to apply for a tourist or transit visas … [Read more...]
Dhaka, Bangladesh
If you are looking for a country that often many westerner's cannot even identify its location on a map, a place where foreigners are generally treated with care and respect, a country that has not been polluted with tourism, the "land of smiles" and a country where you will rarely see foreign tourists, then consider a trip to Bangladesh. However note that tourism can be difficult for independent travelers. Airfare is generally fairly … [Read more...]