Although I associate Vietnam more with tourism and digital nomads than with war, unlike my dad, it's still impossible to not think about the war while you're there. American troops withdrew from Vietnam only six years before I was born, so I'm old enough to have grown up feeling its impact on American culture and … Continue reading In the Trenches
Category: Moving
I See White People Everywhere
When I told my dad I was going to Vietnam on vacation, he couldn't believe it. As someone born in 1950 and coming of age during the height of the Vietnam War (though luckily never having to serve), he was baffled that the country was friendly toward American (and all Western) tourism. I can see … Continue reading I See White People Everywhere
Asia is Not My Friend
When I returned from China in January 2019, I had a flu the likes of which I'd never had before. This was a year before COVID, but it had to have been some crazy bird flu, SARS, Asian flu, swine flu, influenza killer death combo. There was no way I was getting trapped over there, … Continue reading Asia is Not My Friend
Another Full Calendar Year As A Nomad
As I look forward to all the adventures 2023 has in store for me, it's time to share another post of one pic from everywhere my nomad life took me in the previous year. So long, 2022 - I've loved every minute of you! Galápagos Cuenca, Ecuador Argentina Life Patagonia Vacation Santiago, Chile New York … Continue reading Another Full Calendar Year As A Nomad
Adventure Running
After I (slowly) ran a 19 mile race with only 1 week of training, I figured with 5 more weeks, I could run an ultramarathon. This was obviously a terrible plan, but we all know that I don't always make the best decisions when it comes to outdoor adventuring. With the overwhelming emptiness that filled … Continue reading Adventure Running
Adding To My Medal Collection
After wasting a whole bunch of money on fees for races I couldn't run in 2021, I decided it was wise to dial it back this year. But I did well on the week of running in Patagonia, and I didn't want to not run any races in 2022. Plus, I have no motivation to … Continue reading Adding To My Medal Collection
Our Lady of Peace
To wrap up my blogs about my time in La Paz, I'd like to share some general observations and impressions about the place. La Paz really stands out to me when compared to the Latin American cities I visited last year. Buenos Aires had a distinctly European feel. Quito had a generic, big sprawling Latin … Continue reading Our Lady of Peace
La Paz Day Trips
Although my main reason for going to Bolivia was to hike tall mountains, there are things to do in Bolivia besides mountaineering! Unfortunately, since the socialist (and later authoritarian) government of Evo Morales came to power in 2006, there has been a steep drop off in tourism due to a number of policies he enacted. … Continue reading La Paz Day Trips
Cordillera Occidental – The Volcano
After the Illimani near disaster, I started heavily rethinking my idea to attempt a summit of Sajama, the highest peak in Bolivia. Well, truth be told, I had started rethinking it the week before on Huayna Potosí when all the guides were talking about how miserable the conditions were. Not because of snow, but because … Continue reading Cordillera Occidental – The Volcano
Cordillera Real – The Failed Expedition
Having come just shy of 20,000 ft the previous weekend, I planned to surpass that magic number the following weekend with Illimani, the mystical guardian of La Paz, at 21,122 feet. Base camp is a mere 50 miles outside La Paz, but due to the road conditions, it takes about 3.5 hours to get there. … Continue reading Cordillera Real – The Failed Expedition
Jennifer A Swallow 