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Burmese Monks and The Silver Snow Express
So I bought a shadow puppet. The first week into my trip I purchased a fragile, Balinese shadow puppet that now had to be lovingly wrapped in bubble tape and hung from a small brown bag tied to the top of my backpack, swinging to and fro and lightly hitting the bottom of my chignon as I walked. The problem with obtaining such a uniquely shaped and potentially breakable souvenir the first few weeks into a six month trip is that I now have the responsibility of said shadow puppet for the rest of the journey and this silly souvenir almost cost me thousands of dollars. “Are you alright?” The…
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How Brussels sprouted onto my itinerary
I love Brussels. Â There I said it, I’m in love and I don’t care who knows it. Â It was an accidental addition to my most recent trip to Europe and once again, my overweight luggage worked in my favor and the travel gods smiled down on me once more. Big Red Some of you who have heard of my recent trips know that I have two suitcases, one is a crimson behemoth I’ve affectionately dubbed “Big Red”. Â Ok, so it isn’t the most creative nickname, but “Big Red” and her carry on counterpart, (you guessed it) “Little Red” is what we started calling them and the monikers stuck. Â Since I’m…
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The most beautifully hellish train ride
Trans-Siberian Railway, Orient Express, The Polar Express, well, maybe not the Polar Express but you get my drift, they are all famous and iconic train trips you dream about taking, having your eyes fixed on amazing scenery and you get that nostalgic feeling of traveling through a country the way they did in times of yesteryear. Â The train from Glasgow, Scotland to Mallaig, Scotland is one of these train rides, a five hour journey north on the West Highland Line and it is one of the great train journeys only a true locomotive lover would appreciate. I thought it would be a cost effective way to get a lay of…
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“So you packed, American…”
I leave for Thailand soon and I’ve decided to bravely face the suitcase that has been glaring at me from the corner of my room this week and pack. I don’t know if anyone else has the same issue as I do but I just can’t seem to go anywhere without feeling like I need to rent a U-Haul and bring my whole place with me! I’m always in fear that I’ll leave something behind that I just won’t be able to live without while I’m gone. Totally irrational, but true, and it seems like I’m not the only one out there feeling this way otherwise there wouldn’t be so…