In restaurants in foreign countries, it’s one thing to mime the animal you’d like to have cooked up and served to you; it’s another to act out food preparation preferences like “No Cilantro.” And even if there’s a handy phrase section in your travel guide, often times you won’t say it correctly. Even when traveling [...]
Entries from January 2009
January 28, 2009
Now Boarding: Skis and Skies
Here’s when the sinking economy has its benefits: ridiculously low airfare to big ski towns. How’s this deal for the recently laid-off snow fanatic with some severance to spend: $69 roundtrip to Crested Butte, Colorado from Washington, D.C. on American Airlines. The catch is it’s only $69 if you fly on some off-days, but if [...]
January 27, 2009
On My Itinerary: London and Sweden by frequent flier
I love out-of-the-country weddings, not because they cost me at least $2,000 instead of $400 to a domestic destination, but because it makes me, the tourist, be part of a local celebration for a couple days. This summer, my friend’s wedding in Gothenburg, Sweden marks my third destination party and the second one completed [...]
January 25, 2009
Getting Lost in: Tokyo on a Layover
When traveling through Asia, you’ll find yourself more often than not stopping through hip Tokyo, except the furthest you’ll get to tasting the sushi and seeing the uberfashionable is at Narita Airport, which isn’t even in Tokyo. It’s at least an hour train ride from the thriving metropolis, and Narita Airport is no Heathrow, which [...]
January 22, 2009
In the Suitcase: Getting Over Jet Lag
I’ve been back from Thailand for a week, and when you insert a presidential inauguration unlike any other in the middle of recuperating from a 12-hour transition, you get a very sleepy individual.
That’s me. I’ve been nodding off around 7pm every day in front of the TV and taking a two-hour nap in the evening [...]
January 19, 2009
In the Suitcase: The Inauguration Survival Kit
If you’re one of the 1 to 4 million people expected at the National Mall tomorrow morning, bright and early, to watch the historic presidential inauguration that puts W. Bush’s second inauguration to shame (100,000 people, mostly protestors), you’ve now also realized that these are also some historically low temperatures experienced in the DC area. [...]
January 15, 2009
Now Boarding: Surviving a plane crash
Everyone is now well-aware of the US Airways plane that crashed into the icy Hudson River today. You’re probably also aware of what the New York mayor and governor thought of it, as well as the opinion of your local news faces, and by now the perspective of all 164 passengers and what going down [...]
January 14, 2009
Wanderings: Home sweet home
Dear Readers, as you can tell from my deliquence in updating this blog that we spent much more time on the beach than in the Internet cafes, but I’m finally back.
Nearly 48 hours of travel and we’re finally home in Washington. Of course, it took the last day for us to finally get sick. After [...]
January 7, 2009
On My Itinerary: Oh Wow, Koh Tao!
The essence of Jon and my days on the island of Koh Tao:
Wake up to this view from our bed in the raised bungalow at Koh Tao Cabana (one of few five-star luxury resorts. $100 a night can buy you a hillside teak bungalow with “garden bathroom” and balcony with hammock overlooking the ocean.)
Eat breakfast, select [...]
January 5, 2009
On My Itinerary: Historic Thai
Jon and I spent the past couple days biking through the historic capitals of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, both filled with non-functioning ruined wats so I didn’t have to cover up my sinful legs. Both are like visiting an AsianPompeii, except without the plaster body casts and volcano eruptions. In Ayutthaya, nearly all the Buddha heads [...]
