The Gobi Desert – Trans-Siberia Episode 06
Our trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway took us through one of our most memorable countries ever. Mongolia was truly an unforgettable experience. The first half of this portion of our trip, the Gobi Desert, is presented in this brief 4 minute video. Also, you will learn that the toilets in the Gobi are almost as nice as those at home.
Read MoreThe Great Wall – Trans-Siberia Episode 05
One of the most impressive places to visit in Beijing is, without a doubt, the Great Wall. It was as impressive in person as you would imagine. The secret to getting the most out of a visit here is to arrive as early as possible. If you delay, the crowds will be huge, but the first thing in the morning, you will be one of the only people on the Wall. The second most important thing to know is,...
Read MoreA Day of Firsts – Arriving in Kota Kinabalu
Drugs are bad, mmkay? In Malaysia, drugs are really bad. Possession of illegal drugs can get you executed. I wondered why the Malaysians are so against drugs, but having been here for a bit, I quickly figured it out. It seems that whoever created the traffic patterns and road layout here in Kota Kinabalu was high as a kite and they wanted to put an end to that nonsense. Just as an example,...
Read MoreSix Weeks in Taipei
It has been quite some time since we updated our blog with travel notes. Sara and I have spent the last six weeks or so in Taipei, Taiwan where our younger daughter was going to school to learn Chinese. We had lots of local adventures, but also worked on a few projects quite a bit, so it really wasn’t much of a vacation. I did come to realize that I very much love Taipei and want to move...
Read MoreRent vs. Own For Travelers
A popular debate in the U.S. right now is whether to rent or to own your home. There is much advice and speculation on the Internet as to what is the right thing to do. Every situation is different and what works for one person/family might not work for another. Here we will attempt to share our opinion on what works if you like to travel a lot. In 2005, Sara and I sold our home to buy a new home...
Read MoreIf You Only Have One Day in Beijing…
Beijing has a lot to offer, but if you only have one day there, here is a solid itinerary: Start the day as early as possible with a quick, simple breakfast of traditional pastries, bread, or cake and milk tea at 85°C. Take a taxi or bus ride to the Great Wall (Mutianyu Section). If you get there early, there won’t be many tourists and you can see it and go. Take the cable car to Tower 14...
Read MoreTrans-Siberian Railway Official Start: Beijing (Part 2-The Great Wall)
Our trip to the Great Wall started with an early morning pick up from our drivers. Unfortunately, they turned a 45-minute ride to the wall into a 2-hour tour of the outskirts of Beijing. I was under the assumption that since the Great Wall stretches for thousands of miles, you could just drive north and you would eventually hit it. Apparently these guys didn’t get that, and they had quite a...
Read MoreTrans-Siberian Railway Official Start: Beijing (Part 1)
The highlight of Beijing, aside from the Great Wall, is undoubtedly the food. Sara’s sister, Sophia, and her family met us in Beijing and any time Sophia is along, it is guaranteed to be culinary bliss. None of us, including Sophia, had been to Beijing before, but you wouldn’t know it based on our itinerary. We saw most of the major sites and had some pretty amazing meals in three...
Read MoreThe Cheapest Way to Buy Trans-Siberian Train Tickets in China
Shortly after our Egypt trip, Flip and I made a decision to go on our dream trip – the Trans-Siberian railroad. The timing was perfect. My brother-in-law, Daniel was finishing up his two-year assignment in China. That meant we would still have a place to stay in Shanghai, and Sophia and her family would be able to join us in Beijing for a few days. Now the decision was made, I went...
Read More7 Essential OTC Medications to Carry When Traveling
I am a big fan of natural medicine and have more than once found that a natural form of medicine has healed me permanently where the traditional Western doctors could only dull my pain. That being said, everything has its place and when you are traveling, you want to get out and see things, not stay stuck in a hotel room or hostel, miserable. In these situations, an over-the-counter (OTC) pill...
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