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The pro traveler’s guide to almost missing my train, my plane, and an entire country
I‘d pretty much resigned myself to abandoning my visit to Vietnam. It would have cost me a little over $100 in non-refundable train tickets and hotel stays, but the hassle of getting there, while knowing the ease of Thailand, had already prompted me to look at flights and hotels for the next day. I was…
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Losing Sleep But Finding Peace in Laos
There was a time when waking at 4:00 AM felt like a sentence, a period of quiet distress where sleep remained stubbornly out of reach. Now, I find myself disappointed if I sleep one minute past then. I headed out to the deck of the hostel this morning, a wooden perch overlooking the emerald Nam…
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From Shenzhen to Kunming: A 10-Day Journey from China’s Skyscrapers to its Karst Peaks
From the gleaming skyscrapers of Shenzhen to the tranquil riverbanks of Luang Prabang, my recent 10-day journey through Southern China was a whirlwind of high-tech marvels, ancient landscapes, and a few “cultural adjustments.” For those of us used to the “Right of Way,” traveling through China is a masterclass in a different philosophy: the “Right…
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The Great Wall of Bureaucracy: Getting into China
The Consulate Shuffle It all started with a train trip through Laos. I was riding China’s sleek new high-speed rail from the current capital, Vientiane, to the former French colonial capital of Luang Prabang. Looking at the tracks stretching north, I was struck by a thought: if I just stayed on this train, I could…
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Holidays in Hong Kong: High-Rises, Hounds, and Island Hopping
Happy New Year, everyone! I’ve just wrapped up another holiday season in Hong Kong, returning to the same house-sit I enjoyed two years ago. Knowing exactly what to expect didn’t make it any less impressive; I once again found myself in a luxury condo in one of the city’s most desirable districts. Life at The…
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Ditch the Drag: 10 Reasons Not to Check a Bag
One travel cost you have complete control over is your packing. I recently calculated the costs of traveling with a checked bag, and it easily added over $100 every time we moved from one city to the next. That was my tipping point! It’s not just about saving a few dollars in airline fees; it’s…
