Looking for some comic relief in the evening after fighting traffic earlier in the afternoon, I stopped in at the famed Comedy Store on Sunset Blvd - just down from the celeb rich Chateau Marmont for some comedy. Many famous acts have started here or performed on its stages including Jim Carrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Martin and Chevy Chase among others. It was #blackout Tuesday and I was the only Caucasian in the audience. Oh and I was in the … [Read more...]
An Exceptional Tour with Nicholas, owner of Daintree Safaris Queensland
A day in the Daintree Rainforest with Nicholas Fox, proprietor of Daintree Safaris is an educational experience you will not soon forget. He has been guiding in this part of Northern Queensland for well over 20 years. Originally from the United Kingdom, but born in Madrid and schooled at a early age in Kenya he arrived in Queensland in his 20's during a trip around the world. He never left! Part character, part dry humorist and certainly a … [Read more...]
Even the Natives Don’t go Native
We were in Paradise! There were six of us holed up in a luxury three-bedroom condominium resting at the top of a hill. From our lofty perch we overlooked the most beautiful turquoise water of the southern Caribbean Sea that surrounded the Island of Tobago with a fine-grained sandy beach that stretched in both directions as far as any of us cared to look. We sat on cushy cloth-covered deck chairs at our swimming pool, sipping our second or … [Read more...]
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Cairns Queensland
I have spent the last few days exploring the Daintree Rainforest (the world's oldest rainforest) from the ground; now it was time to see it from above the canopy level. Fortunately the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway is located just outside of Cairns. This is one of the do not miss Daintree Rainforest experiences. 7.5 Km of cable opened in 1995 and now brings passengers from near sea level up to 545 meters at its highest spot. Cable cars are … [Read more...]
A lifetime of local Knowledge – Thai Village Life
It is impressive the resourcefulness Syy's mom has at her disposal. We've been washing dishes from a liquid soap she's created from a number of mostly organic ingredients. She makes a lip balm out of coconut milk and wild bees wax collected from nearby hives. It smells quite pleasant and works very well for chapped lips. The rice wine takes her most of the day to make - and ferments for about 8 days before its ready to drink. We've had running … [Read more...]
Greetings from the Village – Eastern Thailand
We are back in the village for the next month - enjoying some fine R&R after a hectic schedule from this past year. The kids are learning Chinese in school and are happy to practice. Our niece of almost 5 years old informed us today that she is "tired of being a Thai girl and wants to be an American girl". We asked her to speak some English but all she could say was "thank you" over and over again! There is a rash of road accidents this past … [Read more...]
Weekend in Bangkok
Bangkok is truly one of the world's great cities - it is a thriving hub of activity both day and night. A world class airport connects to the city via a raised skytrain - which in turn connects to the metro. Bangkok is well known for its horrendous traffic - but with public transportation you can avoid a number of these traffic jams. Budget travelers can head straight to Sukhumvit Road on the skytrain - this is a central area from which to … [Read more...]
What to see in Bangkok
Bangkok is a vibrant city full of lively experiences, fascinating sightseeing and colourful culture that makes it a great place to visit for those heading to South East Asia. It is the capital city of Thailand, the most densely populated urban area in the country and the political and financial centre, which makes it an essential stop on the route for anyone visiting this part of the world. If you're planning a trip to the 'Furnace of the earth' … [Read more...]
Commercial Coffee Production in California?
Organic farmer, Jay Ruskey has been at the forefront in California of commercially growing exotic and rare fruit species at his farm perched on the side of the Santa Ynez Mountains above Goleta since the mid 1990's. The 42 acre farm is about 650 feet above sea level about two miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and on a clear day (of which there are many at this elevation) there are great views of the ocean and the Channel Islands. For … [Read more...]
Laulima Farms, Maui – May 2012
Laulima Farms is an organic farm located in the small rural outpost of Kipahulu about 10 miles south of Hana right on the main highway (about 1 mile past the Oheo Gulch National Park entrance). This is a fantastic find - everything is either freshly picked or freshly made. Their smoothies are a popular choice especially considering you can make them yourself just by pedaling a bicycle! The property has 13.5 planted acres and a plethora of … [Read more...]