Getting Local

September 3, 2022

Exploring Denali National Park on a Budget

How to Visit the Denali National Park on a Budget In this article, I’ll show you how to visit Denali National Park on a budget. The […]
June 26, 2017

Nepal: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Nepal: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly — A Realistic Look at Traveling in Nepal   This post continues in the series I started with […]
June 21, 2017

Getting off the beaten track in Venice

Getting off the beaten track in Venice Making Sense of Venice with all the Tourists Some people think Venice has a tourism problem– as in, too many tourists. […]
August 1, 2016

Dhaka Cycle Rickshaws

  Getting local: Dhaka Cycle Rickshaws   In Dhaka cycle rickshaws are the preferred mode of transport. CNGs (tuk-tuks, or auto rickshaws) are popular for longer […]
May 18, 2016
Kampong Cham Bamboo bridge

Cycling the Kampong Cham Bamboo bridge to Koh Paen

  Cycling across the Kampong Cham Bamboo bridge to Koh Paen Although Kampong Cham is Cambodia’s third largest city, it hardly feels it. Its relaxed atmosphere […]
February 16, 2016
Wellness in Los Angeles

Locals’ Favorites for Wellness in Los Angeles

Locals’ Favorites for Wellness in Los Angeles Getting and staying healthy is important, whether you’re at home or traveling. I covered my top ways for staying […]
August 17, 2013
bhutanese culture

Introduction to Basic Bhutanese Culture

The Dzong     The dzong is the predominant architectural feature of Bhutan. You’ll see one in nearly every city you visit. It was these fortresses […]
July 22, 2013

Couchsurfing is Not Dead (At least I hope)

I’ve been reading an awful lot online lately about how couchsurfing isn’t what it used to be. As it’s gone mainstream, an unsavory bunch has joined […]
July 19, 2013

Alcohol Tourism in Diu

At the bottom of Gujarat state, beyond the reaches of the vast Indian rail network, lies the island of Diu. It is one of the few […]
June 28, 2013
ahmedabad

A Walk through Ahmedabad India

  Ahmedabad, in the Indian state of Gujarat, is known as a living heritage city. What does that mean exactly?   I ask Nirav Panchal, my […]
June 3, 2013
Dambulla wholesale market

Why visiting a wholesale produce market is better than a tourist attraction

  Tourists don’t normally enter the Dambulla wholesale produce market. There isn’t anything there to buy. It’s just a bunch of guys loading and unloading fruit […]
April 23, 2013

The Philippines: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Good The Places The Philippines has some incredible destinations. I’ll start with the phenomenal rice terraces of Banaue and Batad, high in the Cordillara Mountains […]
March 28, 2013
Sleeping at an Internet Café

Experimental Accommodation in Japan: Sleeping at an Internet Café

While traveling in Japan, I wanted to report on some of the alternative accommodation types. From Fukuoka, I already wrote about sleeping in a capsule hotel. […]
March 25, 2013

Finding the Hidden Onsen of Beppu Japan

There are onsen for everybody in Beppu: mud baths, sand baths, and the typical mineral water baths. Onsen is the Japanese word for hot springs. Normally […]
March 13, 2013
capsule hotel in japan

My Capsule Hotel in Japan Experience

On the day I arrived in Japan, all the hostels in Fukuoka were booked solid. It was a Korean holiday, and the international ferry to Fukuoka […]
March 10, 2013
ramen

Fukuoka Japan: Where Ramen is a Real Meal

For most of us, ramen is a plastic package of dried noodles and powder flavoring. For fancy ramen, we might imagine a styrofoam bowl filled with […]
March 4, 2013
korea

7 Observations from Korea

1) The existence of kimchi-specific refrigerators You’ve heard of kimchi, but did you know Koreans have special refrigerators in their kitchens with individualized temperature control for […]
February 28, 2013
korean sauna

Jjimjilbang: The Real Korean Sauna and Bathhouse Experience

I have a habit of finding saunas and thermal waters in different places around the world. Most of all I like being warm, but also I’ve […]
January 12, 2012

7 Observations from Macau

After two days of walking around Macau, we decided we’d had enough of our makeshift dorm room accommodation in Augusters Guesthouse. Even though there wasn’t too […]
December 18, 2010
solento quindio colombia

Salento, Colombia: The Quintessential Backpacker Village

Salento is not the type of place where you’re going to be the only Gringo in town. Don’t try and fool yourself, it is a touristy […]