New Zealand’s Prized Sea Snails John M. Edwards voyages to remote Stewart Island to capture one of New Zealand’s most expensive endangered delicacies: paua. Finding no “paua” on the menus of New Zealand’s North or South Islands, a dirtbag backpacker and “stringer” correspondent was forced to go to way remote Stewart Island in order to find and forage some for his own in the wild. At this island outpost on Half Moon Bay, he thus discovered … [Read more...]
Mom’s Weekend in NYC: Press Reset
It’s become a cliche that moms don’t prioritize themselves enough, but that doesn’t make it any less true. It’s difficult to hear your own thoughts, needs and desires when someone else’s needs keep needling into your brain, demanding milk, socks and Zerby Derby. As with triage, the most urgent desires get attended to first and lesser urges, namely your own, get relegated and relegated until they begin to atrophy. A weekend away may seem a … [Read more...]
Culture and Work Exchange in Jordan’s Wadi Rum Desert
As I exited the taxi a tall, dark, man wearing flashy sunglasses and brown tunic that nearly reached his ankles, approached me. This was Fawaz, my work exchange host for the next two weeks. While he appeared intimidating at first, maybe because of his height alone, his warm smile and outstretched hand made any first impressions quickly fade away. The head scarf he wore was similar to the "desert scarf" that had recently made its way in style in … [Read more...]
End of Tian Shan Mountains Trek & Drunks in Minibus
Upon cresting a Tian Shan Mountain pass at 3200 meters above Song Kul Lake we were treated with spectacular views of a valley far below and towering mountains in the distance. The scenery reminded me of parts of Southern California - especially around Bakersfield or around Death Valley. We hiked for several hours, ultimately reaching a small village in the valley. Looking back at the tall mountains it was impressive to see the great distance we … [Read more...]
A Tour of Lahemaa National Park with Tallinn Traveller
The tour operator, Tallinn Traveler was founded in 2008 by initially offering short day walks around old town Tallinn. They have since expanded and offer a variety of day trips outside of Tallinn and now employ approximately 30 guides. All tours are offered in English. This particular tour was worth every Euro. Led by young, interesting and often humorous guides, this National Park tour touches on a variety of attractions within a 200km … [Read more...]
Rila Monastery – November 2014
Rila Monastary is located about 2 hours outside of Sofia, the capital city. You can hire a taxi (be sure to bargain - and note that hiring taxis from public transportation places such as bus or train stations are usually higher in price), take a bus or go with a number of Bulgarian based tour companies that visit the monastery (Traventuria, Tandem Travel, Bulgaria-Guide). The road past the small village of Rila is narrow and winds up a river … [Read more...]
Connecting with Locals and Experiencing Village Life in Thailand
When I travel I try to take advantage of meeting locals and seeking out home stay opportunities. Rather than seeing a country from just my own perspective, often times more superficially, staying with locals allows one to see and experience a country through their eyes. I find experiences more rewarding and despite the usual communication barriers I discover they are also intrigued with my perspectives and are curious about my own travels. My … [Read more...]
Trekking in the Tian Shan Mountains above Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan
Waking up early this morning after a restless sleep, I watched the sun rise and I also watched one of the ladies milk several cows. The splish splash of milk from one teat to the next into a metal pail reminded me of the last time I saw this - in a small village in Romania. I have been battling a nasty flu and subsequent cold and ultimately a back breaking cough the past three weeks. A cough that is so spasmodic at times, fellow travelers … [Read more...]
Foreign Funeral – Heartbreak in a Romanian Village
Our arms interlocked tightly at the elbow. We stared downward in the chilly, quiet living room when an improbable question broke the silence. “Did you touch her yet?” my wife, Oana, asked as tears streaked down her high cheekbones. “She’s still warm.” Mama Ana, as she was known, my wife’s 82-year-old grandmother, died hours earlier in her small, century-old stone farmhouse in the Romanian countryside. We journeyed 7,000 miles from … [Read more...]
From Sea to Clouds, Vancouver to Whistler
With two days in Vancouver before jumping on the Rocky Mountaineer train on the way to Banff, we decided to visit the mountain town of Whistler. Greyhound offers a relatively affordable option by combining a round trip bus journey with unlimited tram/gondola rides on Whistler/Blackcomb Mountains. This makes it quite doable to see Whistler in a day with an early start from Vancouver. As soon as we arrived in Whistler Village (partly home to … [Read more...]
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