Uzbekistan: It’s Not Just Plov
Food is a big reason why we travel. It’s certainly not the only reason to suffer through an international flight, and we have enjoyed plenty of places that didn’t have a distinct or memorable cuisine, but when the food is good, the day is always made just that much better. […]
Ka-ra-kal-pak-stan
This was a real tongue twister. Ka-ra-kal-pak-stan. Ka-ra-kal-pak-stan. Now say it faster. Ka-ra-pa-kal… Damn. After spending nearly a month in the ancient Silk Road cities, the Fergana Valley, and the Nuratau Mountains, we thought we were finally getting a grasp on Uzbekistan’s diversity and complexity. We were starting to understand […]
Night Trains
Years ago, when we were staying on an island in Cambodia in a little bungalow on the beach, Victor walked off the bed platform in the middle of the night and fell down a few feet. He wasn’t fully awake and somehow didn’t hurt himself. When his mom heard this […]
Next on the Bucket List: Oktoberfest in Munich
I was chatting with my cousin, who lives in Frankfurt, Germany, and telling her all about our 36-hour trip to Munich just to attend the opening of Oktoberfest. “Have you ever been?” I asked her. “Oh no!” she exclaimed. “We are not big drinkers at all!” “Neither are we!” I […]
People Live Here. Nuratau Mountains.
We were outside the Jizzakh train station, patiently waiting on our Yandex Go taxi driver, when another taxi pulled up. The driver, a tall lean man in his early seventies, leaned out the window, “Where are you heading?” We explained that we were waiting for another taxi and he nodded, […]
Hand of God and Goal of the Century: Azteca Stadium
-Arbitro corrupto! Arbitro corrupto! We are sitting in the nosebleed section of Azteca Stadium on the outskirts of Mexico City, listening to hilarious chants from local soccer fans. I’m sitting so high that I feel dizzy and worry that my nose may actually bleed. I can’t believe I’m here. Azteca. […]
Accidental Medical Tourism or When Will This Stop Hurting?
Four days before we flew out to Vietnam, when the backpacks were already laid out on the floor in preparation for packing and to warn the cats of the upcoming vacation, I woke up with a sore throat. I spent the previous evening hanging out with my toddler niece, who […]
How Saigon Became Ho Chi Minh City and how Ho Chi Minh City Almost Killed Us
We landed in Ho Chi Minh City after struggling not to sleep through a thirteen-hour flight to Tokyo, a three-hour layover full of Japanese snacks, and another five-hour flight to Vietnam. We arrived in the early evening, damp air around us deceptively cool, but the asphalt still radiating warmth from […]
Itinerary Hell: I Hate It Here, I am Never Coming Back!
One of my very first trips, straight out of college, was a group tour around Europe with my best friends. We were completely inexperienced in international travel, the Internet wasn’t really as useful back then as it is now, and we had no idea how even to start planning something […]
Perfect Pitch – Jazz and Baseball in Japan
If someone tells you that they experienced jazz and baseball on their trip, would you be able to correctly identify the country? If you guessed the U.S., try again! I am talking about Japan. The Japanese are passionate about jazz and baseball. The American presence after World War II left […]
Portugal: And This Is Why We Don’t Drink
We rarely drink alcohol. Julia claims that she is too much fun as is and that alcohol would be wasted on her. I like to keep my head clear and maintain a healthy lifestyle. When we are in the U.S., we don’t drink at all. But when we travel, we […]