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“Do you think they’re on drugs, Yumiko?” “I don’t think so.” “Maybe it’s a trance then?” No, I’m not talking about a typical day at Burning Man. Rather, my friend, Yumiko, and I are sitting in the stands of a dance hall, watching a traditional Kecak dance in Bali, Indonesia. Never heard of it? The […]

“You, get in line!” “You, single file!” “You now, two by two!” “You now, single file again!” “No photos!” As anyone who knows me can tell you, I don’t like being ordered around. There’s something about that directive “command form” grammatical structure that sets my teeth on edge. You can imagine, then, my dismay at […]

Wow Place #96: Luxor, Egypt The overwhelming impression you receive when visiting the temples of Karnak and Luxor (in Luxor, Egypt) is, “Are these movie sets? They certainly can’t be real.” It’s almost impossible to believe that these amazing, well-preserved, 3,500-year-old temples are actually the real deal. Surely these statues and obelisks towering above me […]

There’s something mysterious and vaguely dangerous about Alleppey, India, that recalls the movie, Apocalypse Now. To reach our guest house, we are instructed to take the local postal boat, essentially an outrigger canoe with a mailman, up river into the wilds of Kerala. As Cenzo and I depart town and head into the Kerala Backwaters […]

When it comes to travel (and often life), there are secret gems and over-looked gems. A secret gem is that place that no one knows about except you – someplace you stumbled upon and maybe want to keep all to yourself. An over-looked gem is a place that you might find in your guide book, […]

“The person who never climbs Mt. Fuji is a fool, and the person who climbs it twice is a bigger fool.” – Japanese Proverb My college buddy, Tim, and I are feeling exceedingly foolish as we start our final ascent of Mt. Fuji. “We should’ve trained for this Tim.” “You think?” “I’m wiped. You?” “The […]

Traveling isn’t just about seeing; it’s also about doing. That’s why I like to take cooking classes when I’m on the road. It’s a great way to roll up your sleeves and taste the culture of the country you’re visiting. This is particularly true in Japan, where the culture can seem so dense and impenetrable. […]

There’s a scene in the third Indiana Jones film, The Last Crusade, when Indy is asked to step off a cliff and take a literal “leap of faith.” I always thought that was kind of crazy. Okay sure, his dad is dying and there’s no time to lose. (You don’t say no to Sean Connery!) […]

“The road to success is always under construction.” – Lily Tomlin Where is the worst road you’ve ever traveled on? I would contend the lousiest road in the world is between the Thai border and Siem Reap in Cambodia. This is a terrible road! I mean, it’s really, really awful. The ruts and holes could […]

“If you’re never able to tolerate a little bit of pain and discomfort, you’ll never get better.” –Angela Duckworth It’s a rainy day in Okayama, Japan. My buddy, Adam, and I had been planning to visit the art island of Naoshima (Wow Place #61) that day, but who wants to tour an outdoor art installation […]