August 02, 2006
Update on Living In Oaxaca
I have almost finished my application for a Mexican FM3 year-long visa. Forms have to be filled out exactly right...with copies...and money paid to a bank. About $200 for the...Read this update
April 02, 2006
Luang Prabang Lao
The last time I was here was in 2002. There are few changes and not as many tourists as I expected but then this is the off season. I'm...Read this update
March 29, 2006
Tha Ton
Supuat drove me to Tha Tan...right on the Thai-Burma border directly north of Chiang Mai to see several minority groups, Lisu, Lahu, Akha and Longnecks, that live there. Last...Read this update
March 25, 2006
Faithful Tuk Tuk Driver
Nice to have someone faithful to me. I trust Supoat, in his 50's, with soft face and warm bright eyes. I call him when I need him to drive...Read this update
December 01, 2005
Museum Of Natural History
When we were in southern China last year we spent some time hiking and driving through parts of mountainous Yunnan Province that are populated primarily with, not Han Chinese, but...Read this update
April 02, 2005
Trekking Northern Thailand
As soon as we returned to Bangkok from Bali Bob took a train to Chiang Mai for a trek in northern Thailand near Mae Son Hong. I stayed in...Read this update
December 08, 2004
Miao Village In Guizhou
In Shanghai, exploring the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree web site, I noticed a query from a young woman from Kaili in Guizhou Province who was offering to arrange a...Read this update
September 26, 2004
Hanging Out Feels Great
After hanging out a couple days...glad to be off the train...Gregory, a former University teacher of German, drove Bob and I, three Germans and a Pole on a half-day...Read this update
September 05, 2004
Traki, Karaites & Kibini Pastry
Trakai, on the outskirts of Vilnius, Lithuania, is a small settlement placed in the middle of five large lakes that is home to about 350 members of the Keraites, a...Read this update
August 23, 2004
I'm A Gypsy?
Back in Prague, doors open...a gypsy girl sits down beside me at a bus stop...flirting...wanting me to listen to lively music in her cell phone. I smile and she...Read this update
December 28, 2002
Bob's Thai Village Visit
While Jana and I were playing with Chinese teenagers in Ruili in the south of Yunnan, Bob spent some time in an ethnic village in the mountains in Issan Province...Read this update
December 14, 2002
Conversations In The Gorge
Wednesday Dec 11 In Old Town Lijiang, Bob joined us for breakfast at our hotel at 9am; met Li at her hotel at 10:30 for minibus trip up the...Read this update
December 10, 2002
Echo & Li...Competitors
Monday Dec 9 2002 In Old Town Lijiang, we are woken up by a knock at the hotel door at 8am. Two couples from Taiwan were on their way...Read this update
December 06, 2002
Zhondian to Baishuitai
Friday Dec 6 2002 There were no street lights so we walked the equivalent of several blocks to the Zhongdian bus station in the dark to catch the 7:50am...Read this update
December 05, 2002
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Bob took a flight south to Mangshi and then on by bus to Ruili near the Burma border. Jana and I left Kunming on a Yunnan Airlines flight to...Read this update
November 20, 2002
Secrets I Will Never Know
Major Cities We Visited "The opening up of China is a stirring idea," Lonely Planet says. A foreigner traveling alone today is privileged to see more of China than...Read this update
May 09, 2002
Animal Spotting The Big 5
I love the remnants of the Swahili cadence in Victor's English. Giraffe: "It is raining and he is very happy there-he is getting a shower." Bob watching elephants: "This makes...Read this update
May 08, 2002
Maasai Warrior Tribe
Beautiful tall Masaii men and women still maintain their tribal lifestyle and religion-wearing red to keep the lions away from their cows. They live in southern Kenya and northern...Read this update
February 17, 2002
Hip Notting Hill
We didn't realize that our neighborhood was "hip" until we were sitting in our hotel/bar in Notting Hill a couple days ago and I noticed a newspaper clipping pinned up...Read this update