international travel

Landslide!

Waiting

From the Sky Ghetto to Medan

HONG KONG, China -- Hong Kong was cold—much more than I remembered it—which came as a surprise.  I was expecting a sub-tropical middle ground between Korea and Malaysia—no jacket required--but was instead greeted by an indifferent city whose skyscrapers were smothered in a Seattle-like misty piss.  I wasn’t so far from home after all: Bone-chilling rain and suicidal skies?

HONG KONG, China -- For the first time visitor, Hong Kong can seem overwhelming at first. Yet, the tightly-packed sidewalks teeming with people, the streets and alleyways darting this way and that, the seemingly endless stream of neon signage and the snail’s pace traffic on the roadways, are all part of the charm of one of Asia’s most dynamic and adventure-filled cities.

When the British first arrived in 1841, Hong Kong was little more than a backwater made up of about 20 villages and hamlets at the outer edge of the massive Chinese empire. For the British trading fleet looking to expand their own empire, the deep, well-protected harbor made it perfect to settle in and set up shop.

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- I rummaged through my Khao-San-Road-Bangkok-style-fisherman-pants to scrape together all the Thai Bhat I could find. Soon, I would be on my way and it was time to trade them for Taiwan dollars. I carry with me everything that I own,  my guitar, a backpack and whats left of my Korean Hagwan fortune acquired after teaching a few years in the ROK.

It seemed like so much more when I left.  But that was fourteen weeks ago. Fourteen weeks of traveling through India, Nepal and Thailand. Between the rickshaws, somosas, sleeper trains, Airasia flights, zorbing, paragliding, Annapurna trekking, Kingfisher beers, Dal Bat, Samsong whiskey buckets, street pad thai, tuk tuks, cigarettes and all other wicked vices better left unsaid.

Now I’m here in Taipei with my girl, Karla Louise, and about $3,500USD to my name.  

GANGNEUNG, South Korea - With the Korean language being a difficult language to master, some people find choosing a hobby in Korea can be a difficult task as well. However, a large group of expats around the country have taken a big interest in outdoor recreation such as cycling in Korea, where the common language is the road. One of those people, is Eddie Glayzer.

JODHPUR, India -- While I sat atop my beautifully adorned camel, the sun beamed down on my skin, a light breeze tickled at my hair and I began to feel a sense of ease on this animal I was once so afraid of. Suddenly, a swarm of kids approached me and my fellow group of travelers and started singing in a beautiful melody. All right there in what was their backyard, the Thar Desert outside of Jodhpur.