The first glimpse of Palawan takes your breath away—a slender island province in the Philippines stretching like an emerald jewel between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. As my small propeller plane descended into Puerto Princesa, the capital city, I knew this journey would be unlike any other. Palawan is not just a destination; it's a living, breathing testament to the raw beauty of nature, a place where limestone cliffs rise from … [Read more...]
Reading the Water – Why the Best Scuba Diving in Bali Depends on the Morning Briefing
I fly freight for a living, mostly overnight runs out of Ontario, California, and I've sat through more weather briefings than I could count. So when I booked eight days of diving in Bali last August, eleven months after finishing my advanced course off Catalina Island, I assumed the dive briefings would be the dull part of the trip. I pictured a guy with a whiteboard and some hand signals. I'd planned the whole week around one site, Manta Point … [Read more...]
Komodo Island Scuba Diving at Sixty – A Hotel, a Liveaboard, and What I’d Change
I taught high school chemistry in Modesto for twenty-nine years, and I've carried the same dive logbook since 1989, a green vinyl binder with a Monterey dive shop's sticker peeling off the front cover. My first entry is a forty-one-foot dive off Breakwater Cove in a seven-millimeter wetsuit I can still smell. I turned sixty in February. My wife Linda doesn't dive, and when she asked what I wanted to mark the year, I said Komodo before she'd … [Read more...]
Tasting Room Tabs – ePOS Systems in Wine Country, From Napa to the Douro
I’ve lived in Santa Rosa since 2009, and for most of that time I’ve made a living installing till and ordering systems for restaurants and tasting rooms around Sonoma and Napa. It’s not a glamorous job. But it means I’ve stood behind more tasting bars than most sommeliers, usually holding a screwdriver instead of a glass, and I notice how a winery handles its bills long before I notice what’s in the bottle. Wine country is hard on a tab. A … [Read more...]
A Week on a Mississippi Riverboat: Full Trip Report
There is something special about traveling along a river. Unlike a road trip, where the scenery changes with every turn, a river journey unfolds at a gentler pace. Towns, forests, farmland, and historic waterfronts gradually appear along the banks, offering a different perspective on the American landscape. A week aboard a Mississippi Riverboat offers the opportunity to experience this slower style of travel while exploring one of the … [Read more...]
Why I Went to Lamjung Instead of the Annapurna Circuit
We were at the junction in Besisahar where the road splits, and everyone else in the vehicle was going north, up the Marsyangdi, toward the Annapurna Circuit and the teahouses and the pass at 5,416 metres that people fly across the world to walk over. I asked to be let out at the turn for Hugdi. The driver repeated the name back to me twice. Then he shrugged in the way Nepali drivers shrug at foreigners and at locals who are behaving like … [Read more...]
Helsinki by Tram and Foot: A Local Way to See the City
Helsinki is compact enough that it is tempting to walk everywhere, but I think that misses part of what makes the city enjoyable to explore. Trams are part of the rhythm of central Helsinki, and combining a short ride with an unhurried walk gives you a much better sense of how the streets, architecture and waterfront fit together. For a first visit, I would not try to cover as much ground as possible. A better approach is to use the tram to … [Read more...]
Vermillion, South Dakota – October 2026
Located in the far southeast corner of the state in a part of the country the features another very approximate 'four corners' where South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska all come close to meeting. Lewis and Clark on their expedition across the country camped near the site of present day Vermillion. This small town offers plenty of attractions for visitors. Start with a stop in the historic downtown - perhaps for lunch or dinner at the Silk … [Read more...]
From Branches to Blockchains: Where Digital Money Habits Are Heading in 2026
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment or tax advice. Market data, adoption figures and platform features cited below are sourced and dated as of publication. Fees, regulations and product availability change, and readers should verify details directly with the relevant provider before making a decision. Most people didn't sit down one day and decide to change how they handle … [Read more...]
Border Cities Deserve a Different Kind of Travel Planning
Most city trips follow a familiar rhythm. You arrive at an airport or train station, drop your bags at the hotel, and start working through the places you saved before leaving home. A border city changes that rhythm. The crossing itself becomes part of the journey, with its own timing, transportation choices, and practical details to consider. And not everyone crossing is there for the same reason. A traveler might be chasing a memorable meal, … [Read more...]
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