This is not just your ordinary tale of backpackers seeing the world. The scene is the late 1980's in South East Asia - before Internet, before cell phones, before instant communication around the world. Two budget backpackers (Andrew and Kirsten) are trying to see the world on the cheap - pinching pennies by staying in ratty cockroach infested hostel dorms and quickly running out of money. Then Andrew discovers a money belt full of money and … [Read more...]
Most Amazing People We’ve Met On Our Travels
While traveling we meet a lot of people with different destinies, dreams, and lifestyles. We forget immediately about the majority of them, but some live in our memories as if we’ve just talked to them. Today we’d like to share the most touching stories of people from different cultures, social classes and continents we collected during our travels. KAREN GIRL This girl belongs to Karen tribe, also known as long-necks. When she was born, … [Read more...]
Stepping off the path + A train ride to Hampi, India
"Chai chai chai!" "Pakora! Samosa! Pakora!" I'm on a train heading east from Goa to Hampi. Food hawkers jump on and off at every stop rushing through the cars shouting, selling refreshments. I want to taste everything that passes—samosas served from a worn cardboard box, crispy masala rice snacks in a giant plastic garbage bag, fresh mango lassis carried in a tattered milk crate. Yet I cringe as the vendors grab food with their bare hands, … [Read more...]
A visit to Navala, a traditional Fijian Village
The highlight of today was a visit to Navala, a traditional Fijian village located in the beautiful highlands on the main island. As we climbed up from near sea level, soon we were surrounded by picturesque mountains; the countryside this time of year is a beautiful shade of green in all directions. Upon arriving at the village - we entered one of the thatch homes. The roof and sidewalls are made of local materials - with the roof lasting … [Read more...]
Postcard: Gilli Islands Hopping – Peepholes in Paradise
John M. Edwards visits the Indonesian Gilli Islands, a tripartite chain of paradise islets, ending up on Gilli Trawangan, where locals Gilligans follow us around and spy on us like flypaper paparazzi. “I see India everywhere but I do not recognize any of it.” --Rabindranath Tagore, Indian poet Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale. . . . “Hello, John!” the curiously canny kid said, eyes wide with the practiced veneer of a … [Read more...]
An Indian Wedding at Kuala Lumpur’s Batu Caves
When wandering through temples anywhere in Asia, it’s not unusual to stumble across some sort of celebration, ceremony or ritual as it carries on. Used to tourists, those participating carelessly overlook those slinking around, hugging the walls and doorways. But there was something different about the atmosphere and its undeniable activity swirling through the Hindu temple – one of the oldest in Malaysia – at the base of Kuala Lumpur’s famous … [Read more...]
The Lost Girls
The Lost Girls by Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett and Amanda Pressner The odds that these three girls would all meet and then decide they would travel together for a year in 2006 (by the way, they were still friends at the end of the trip), all while busy building careers in New York - and then write a book about their adventures is slim to none! But this is exactly what Jennifer, Holly and Amanda accomplished with the release of this book … [Read more...]
Visiting Trinidad in the West Indies: Short Notes
Flights to the Island arrive at POS (not the most politically correct airport code in the world) but it stands for Port of Spain. On a good day (without traffic) it takes about 30 minutes from the airport to downtown. There are a number of car rental companies at the airport (economy car pricing runs from about $40 to $60 US dollar). Car rental companies are also available in downtown Port of Spain and other towns on the island. A few things I … [Read more...]
Unusual, Odd, Uncomfortable or Unique Stays
Recently I spent a miserable night on the island of Trinidad in a hot vehicle parked in the rainforest with the windows cracked to get some air while fighting a random assortment of biting flying bugs. This caused me to think about other interesting nights I have spent including one night next to a partially rotting deer (don't ask) and a frigid night in Spain grossly under dressed for the weather in March sleeping in a dirt field covered in … [Read more...]
Quality Dining Palau Style
Since Jellyfish Lake and the Rock Islands were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in July 2012, more and more seasoned travelers are choosing Palau as a vacation destination. Recent statistics indicate that nearly 100,000 people visit Palau annually. Holidaymakers who have not yet explored Palau’s charms may be yearning to ascertain if the above water cuisine experience matches Palau’s underwater treasures. During our ten-day stay on Palau, … [Read more...]
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