Asia
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Hiking in Nepal: On the Way to Namche Bazaar! (Day 2)
More Details: Hiking in Nepal: On the Way to Namche Bazaar! (Day 2)On Day 2, we left our teahouse in the tiny spot of Tok Tok (9,000 ft / 2,800 m) at around 8:45AM to head, following the route to Everest Base Camp, to Namche Bazaar, a rather bigger town than most in the area (actually, THE biggest). This would have us climb over 2,000 ft in…
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Hiking in Nepal: Lukla to Tok Tok (Day 1)
More Details: Hiking in Nepal: Lukla to Tok Tok (Day 1)My trek in the Himalayas followed the route to Everest Base Camp. I only had two weeks’ vacation so I was short one week to make it all the way to “EBC” since my visit to Nepal included an extra number of days to help in the re-building of a school that was destroyed during…
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Kathmandu’s Great Boudha Stupa – Still There after the Earthquake
More Details: Kathmandu’s Great Boudha Stupa – Still There after the EarthquakeOne of the most beautiful sites in Kathmandu, Nepal is its Great Boudha Stupa (or Boudhanath Stupa). First and foremost, it is a beautiful statement of faith, the largest such Buddhist structure in Nepal and the largest outside of any in Tibet. That Kathmandu’s Great Boudha Stupa is pleasing to my eyes is a far…
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Building a School in Kumari, Nepal
More Details: Building a School in Kumari, NepalPrior to my trek in the Himalayas along the route to Everest Base Camp, I spent 3 days in the village of Kumari, Nepal thanks to Trekking for Kids‘ work to support this village. The village, as many places in Nepal, was severely impacted by the April 2015 earthquake that struck the country. The recently-built…
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Flying into Dangerous Lukla Airport in Nepal
More Details: Flying into Dangerous Lukla Airport in NepalI recall seeing a few years ago a TV show about the world’s ten most dangerous airports. Tegucigalpa, St. Maarten and a few others made the list. And so did Lukla, Nepal. Lukla is the typical starting point for anyone trekking along the route to Everest Base Camp, or to other points in the Himalayas.…
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How Does One Pack for A Trek in Nepal?
More Details: How Does One Pack for A Trek in Nepal?In about 6 days, I leave on a trip to Nepal. Once again, I will be trekking with Trekking for Kids to improve the lives of children around the world. This is a special trip for several reasons, one of which is the devastation from the April 2015 earthquake calls for the world’s support for…
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The Warm Capitals: Panama City, Manila, San Juan, and Port of Spain
More Details: The Warm Capitals: Panama City, Manila, San Juan, and Port of SpainFor many, the ideal vacation is to go where it is sunny and warm, be it the tropics or somewhere with good “Mediterranean” climate. Be it the Caribbean, the South Pacific, or the Greek Isles, sun and fun seem to go together. I am not as much a chaser of these climates but they definitely…
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Admiring History on the Rocks in Petra, Jordan
More Details: Admiring History on the Rocks in Petra, JordanI first went to Petra, Jordan back in 1998 on a day trip from Sharm-el-Sheikh at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. If you know the lay of the land, that may sound impossible. Well, not if you take a flight from Sharm-el-Sheikh to Aqaba, Jordan and then hop on a bus. …
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Travel Inspiring Reads – In the Empire of Genghis Khan
More Details: Travel Inspiring Reads – In the Empire of Genghis KhanStanley Stewart shares with us in his book about his travel through the lands of Genghis Khan. Even before he gets to Mongolia, you get to enjoy his anecdotes from traversing what is to me an obscure corner of our planet: Central Asia. And, I may add, a part of the world I am dying…
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The Power Capitals: Washington, D.C., Beijing and London
More Details: The Power Capitals: Washington, D.C., Beijing and LondonWhen I was a kid (some would argue I am still one), I was fascinated with knowing capital cities and flags. Not really sure why, perhaps it was an early predictor of future sanity. I was pondering the other day that there are countries that I have visited whose capital cities I have not than…
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Photo of the Week – Color in a Bowl
More Details: Photo of the Week – Color in a BowlWhile not a big shopper here, sometimes I do stop to take a look at the arts and crafts made in the places I visit – usually hoping that something unusual catches my eye: either for a purchase or a picture. During my trip to Jordan I stopped at a store that had plenty to…
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The Walls of the Wadi Mujib
More Details: The Walls of the Wadi MujibThe Wadi Mujib in Jordan is a fun place because you get to explore a gully (“wadi”) in which water is flowing. The first part of the Wadi is maybe ankle deep or a little higher in some places so pretty easy and fun (though I kept worrying I would drop my camera in the…