Wikipedia still lists the cause as “unknown” for its entry on the “2016 Vietnam Marine Life Disaster.” But many knew […]
Vietnam #1: A Protest American-Style
We had just emerged from a lazy lunch at a French noodle bar when a pair of breathless tourists stopped […]
Vietnam: District Not Number One
“Let’s go this way,” Chris said and folded the map. We were supposed to be in District 1, the part […]
Vietnam: Threading in Hoi An
On the way back to our hotel in Hoi An one afternoon, a young woman offered to pop my zit. The […]
Cambodia #3: A Drop in the Bucket
From her seat in the tuk-tuk, Nita held her palm above her eyes and scanned the roadside. She looked not […]
Cambodia #2: Ant Pee and the Silver Lining of Agrarian Communism
Despite our early start, we didn’t beat the heat. Cambodia was in the chokehold of a record-setting heat wave, and […]
Cambodia #1: Pay It Forward
Two shots of rice whiskey and twelve hours of sleep didn’t help. My head and chest felt like pressurized powder […]
Himalayas #9: The Final Frontier
Back at my desk in Montana, I stare at the Rocky Mountains and try to remember the rooftop of the […]
Himalayas #8: The Birds and the Bees
In Italy it’s the Catholic churches. In India it’s the Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries. You can’t swing a squirrel […]
Himalayas #7: Finding Hope
Once upon a time, there was an American socialite named Hope Cooke who longed to travel to distant lands. She […]
Himalayas #6: Why Not?
One might wonder why it’s easier to bathe a cat than it is to enter Sikkim. I certainly did. But […]
Himalayas #5: Mugshot Bazaar
We got in the jeep and proceeded to Rangpo’s upper bazaar. Dustin dropped us off in front of a string […]
Himalayas #4: Border Crossing
“Wait here. I’ll be right back.” Nidup, our quick-smile guide with a Buddha belly, walked up to a bank-teller-like window […]
Himalayas #3 A Darjeeling Tea Tour
“Did you see that man in the pith helmet,” I asked Chris as we walked down a grassy two-track into […]
Himalayas #2: Glenburn Tea Estate
The next morning, I found a gazebo with a table and chair where I could sit alone in the early […]
Himalayas #1: On the Way to Darjeeling
Getting to a place like this isn’t easy. When you look at a map of India, Sikkim is a tiny […]
India #6: Loving the Ganges to Death
Floating down the Ganges one magical evening, I took a deep breath and filled my lungs with what I hoped would be […]
India #5: The Sheen of the Taj Mahal
Call me a cynic, but the fairytale romance sounded Bollywood to me.
India #4: The Little Tout
It’s hard to feel connected to a country when touring by train. You’re separated from most of it by glass […]
India #3: The Maharajas’ Express
The Maharajas’ Express. Just the name makes you think of a turbaned prince draped in silks and jewels charging across a […]
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