For decades, every traveler who has crossed the New Mexico border has been greeted by a sign declaring they’ve just entered “The Land of Enchantment.” (La tierra del Encanto in Spanish). After spending ten weeks in a 400-square foot casita in Taos last summer, I understand. For the most part, I lived sparely and simply, … Continued
There is nothing quite like the moment you begin to know who you are. You’ll think you have it figured out a hundred times before you ever even start to. Each time you will look back at the last, and think of how silly you were. Then soon enough, you’ll be lost all over again. … Continued
All Warfare is Based on Deception When my parents set out to adopt a child, China seemed like the natural place to turn. One-child limitations imposed on some members of the population led families to leave their infant daughters on the streets to be found to try again for a male child. After a bit … Continued
I am not usually one to consult psychics—I would rather leave my future a mystery. In this case, however, a rune stone reading sounds like fun. It will be part of the enjoyment of visiting Norstead, a Viking re-enactment village on the island of Newfoundland. During the informative tour, I listened to tales about the … Continued
I was only in Georgetown for a day, but I knew I needed to complete my research for my article on Malaysian food. I kept getting lost in Penang— the winding streets reminiscent of an ancient walled city, where the one thing you could count on is that, map in hand, you would still end … Continued
The sandstorm engulfs me like a swarm of angry wasps. Each gust fires a thousand grains of dust at my helmet and fills my ears with a noise like static, as I crouch by a drystone wall. My thirty-eight year-old Royal Enfield motorbike sits abandoned by the roadside. My hands sting as they cover my … Continued
I am a contradiction. I became aware of this for the first time when I was asked at a job interview some years ago to describe myself. I am happy, I am sad; I am guarded and open all at once. I love change and look forward to it but I also hold on tight … Continued
Reality Czech! Prague, here I come I declared once I booked a studio apartment for three days and two nights in the city’s Old Town section. Next, I researched to see how much I could accomplish during my stay without being gluttonous. Usually, I cover quite a bit on my trips by being organized, through … Continued
Fifteen hours – for some, it sounds like a horrendously long bus ride from Skopje, Macedonia to Istanbul, Turkey. Yet, it was the shortest bus ride during my six-month solo backpacking trip in China and Southeast-Central Europe. Six months ago in early March this year, I quit my well-paying job in Malaysia and packed my … Continued
I left the U.S. on August 1 for a grand adventure. Many thought I was foolish. Others thought I was unique. Some told me that they were a bit jealous. And, a few saw me as just plain crazy (including myself, at times!). There have been those who support my journey and those that dismiss … Continued