Random Thoughts from the Dominican Republic

The Caves The DR has fabulous caves and cenotes to explore, especially in Cotubanamá National Park. The first, Cueva de Chicho, is a short one kilometer walk in from the parking lot through a picturesque forest. Bring your snorkel gear, or if you dive, hire someone to take you down. I've been slowly getting into … Continue reading Random Thoughts from the Dominican Republic →

Still Got It…But I Don’t Want It

When I went to Ecuador in 2021, I was surprised, and pleased, at how little catcalling I was subjected to. Sexual harassment was the norm in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Mexico. To a lesser degree in Belize and Cuba, but to a greater degree in Jamaica. So that I could go about my business in … Continue reading Still Got It…But I Don’t Want It →

100 Original Trails, For The Fourth Time

November 2021 Skidaway Island (Savannah, Georgia), Priest's Landing Trail Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (Hardeeville, South Carolina), Kingfisher Pond Loop Cumberland Island National Seashore (St. Mary's, Georgia), Nightingale and Parallel Trails Hunting Island State Park (Beaufort County, South Carolina), Lagoon and Maritime Forest Trails December 2021 Parque Metropolitano Guangüiltagua, (Quito, Ecuador), various trails Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve … Continue reading 100 Original Trails, For The Fourth Time →

In the Trenches

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 →

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 →

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 →