The Road From Utila to Flores
A primary reason for visiting Utila is to enjoy fantastic scuba diving in the area. The island doesn’t have much to offer beyond the diving, but for scuba enthusiasts there are great deals to be had on courses and equipment rental and superb dive spots offshore. It has a reputation for being one of…
Read MoreHanoi Bound: The Trip Begins (2003)
“The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum.” -Frances Willard I had arrived at the airport after a grueling day involving two flights, shuttle buses and your average run-of-the-mill bullshit. But I had arrived. It’s hard to put into words just how I…
Read MoreHomestay in San Pedro, Guatemala
For those thinking of studying Spanish and doing a homestay with a local family, San Pedro offers a lot of opportunities to do both. Arriving in San Pedro feels a lot like walking into a beach town in Thailand, or pretty much anywhere in S.E Asia. Tuk Tuks are everywhere and backpackers in various states…
Read MoreThe Shrine and the Toothless Woman (2002)
I was able to enjoy a couple of days off last week. I was originally going to go up north to a small town near Daegu. In the end, however, I decided against it because it was Chusok. I’ve read that this holiday can be a crazy time to travel here. Imagine a population larger…
Read MoreThe Journey From San Cristobal de las Casas to Panajachel, Guatemala
Planning a journey from San Cristobal de las Casas to Panajachel, Guatemala? Fortunately, the process is relatively simple and straightforward, even with a border crossing involved. Before embarking on your trip, make sure to check the latest visa regulations for Guatemala and visa requirements for Mexico. Although some travellers have reported encountering border officials demanding…
Read MoreKorean Food (September 2002)
Well, yet another month has passed in Busan. The time seems to really be speeding along, although in retrospect in seems like an eternity. It’s funny how that works sometimes. I guess when you’re fully occupied it doesn’t drag along. Anyways, I didn’t really want to dwell on the meaning of time, or anything quite…
Read MoreThe Old Man and the Soju (August 2002)
What a crazy place! Korea hasn’t stopped surprising me since I arrived here. What is this insane place of cell phones, bad fashion, too many cars, cheesy pop music, neon lights slicing into my brain, awful food, and a language that is both piercing and whiny at the same time? Yet, there are mountains full…
Read MoreThe Hike and the Meal (2002)
Well, I don’t know how the weather is back home, but we’ve been inundated with rain over here. It’s been pouring non-stop for 10 days, with no end in sight. Apparently the flooding in Seoul has shut down parts of the city, and here in Busan there’s been close to a dozen deaths related to…
Read MoreSan Cristobal de las Casas
San Cristobal de las Casas is a beautiful historic city nestled in the hills of Chiapas, Mexico. It lays in a small valley with thick pine forests covering the surrounding mountains. The city was founded in 1528 and has maintained much of its historic Spanish colonial architecture, especially in the old quarter of the city.…
Read MoreGetting Adjusted (August 2002)
Well, I’ve finally adjusted to living in this crazy town. Everywhere you go its insanity here. There are so many stores, bars and restaurants here that it’s almost as if the entire city is a downtown core. The crazy thing about this place is that there isn’t any kind of zoning. Light industrial, commercial, and…
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