You might not have been thinking about your carbon footprint twenty years ago. Maybe not even ten. But you are likely thinking about it today. You may have an image in your head of Greta Thunberg‘s arrival in New York City last September. On a carbon-neutral boat. And you may... read more
Title image for Hotels Around the World: the key card to my hotel room in Doha, Qatar I evidently forgot to turn the card into the front desk. It now decorates my desk in Bucharest. Travel tip: I have chosen an international hotel chain where I stay in big cities... read more
The title image for Inle Lake Villages: water hyacinths growing thick on Inle Lake in central Myanmar. Inle Lake is famous for its villages, indigenous crafts and the fishermen who are out every day from dawn to dusk: Inle Lake Villages: Floating Villages A comparison to Venice is tempting. The... read more
Question: How to go about packing for a long trip? Answer: You don’t. Yesterday I left Durham, North Carolina to begin my fifth trip Around The World. My route is continuously Westbound. First and only stop in the U.S.: Seattle, Washington, where I am today. Before I got on the... read more
On April 8 I’ll start traveling internationally again. First stop outside the U.S.: Osaka, Japan. I’ll be out of the country for five months. Title image: Arrivals, Kansai International Airport, Osaka. Here’s what I’ve learned in my many jaunts around the world. Traveling Internationally Tip #1: The Big Obvious Your... read more
Portuguese customs: I’m not talking about their Christmas cakes or the songs they sing. Nothing so interesting! No, I’m talking about trying to get a package from back home through international customs. Travel Tip #1: Don’t bother having anyone send you anything. You’re likely to spend undue time and money... read more
My entire life I’ve sought new adventures. As a kid I loved exploring my neighborhood. As an adult I love exploring the world. The title image is of my itinerary in Ethiopia next week. Today I’m embarking on a three-and-a half-month trip outside the US. First stop: Istanbul. From there... read more
It happened. A couple weeks ago I was pickpocketed in Bucharest, Romania. I was not in as obviously vulnerable a position as the woman in the title image. In fact, I thought I was doing everything right, and yet …. I had gone to the ATM and made a withdrawal... read more
Title picture for sake: My son, Gerard, and his girlfriend, Rimi, opening a bottle of shōchū at Torisan, our favorite izakaya ‘neighborhood restaurant’ in Koshien When in Japan you’ll want to know that: 1. Sake Sake is the generic Japanese word for ‘alcohol.’ Everything alcoholic counts as sake. 2. Sake... read more
The following stories lead to unusual travel tips. #1 The Bad Around New Year’s 2010 I went to Brazil. At the Manaus airport in Amazonas State, I was looking up at the information board to find my flight home. I was going to São Paulo where I was to get... read more
