The problem with travel these days is that so many people have already been there before, which in turn ruins all your cool stories of (mis)adventures abroad. Therefore, the idea is to try and do something different, something unique, so you have something to brag about when you get back home. The problem with that is now everyone is trying to do something original. So you might as well stay home and watch TV, right? No! What you're supposed to do is go see all the regular stuff, then make up cool stories about crazy shit that happened when you were [View Full Entry]

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One of the many joys of traveling to a foreign country is the chance to interact with local people. Whether it be a conversation with someone on a bus, or trying to guide a taxi driver using a map and gestures, the results are almost always smiles and a friendly parting. You don't need to speak the language to communicate, and it affirms that most people in the world are generally honest and sincere. However, there are a few out there that are pond scum. They skulk through the crowd looking for a foreigner with a camera and backpack, hoping they'll [View Full Entry]

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In the spring of 2000 I participated in a University of Calgary overseas field study programme. Under the guidance of Dr. Peter Herrem, one of my favourite professors, we set out to study the physical environment, people and culture...and of course, to drink ourselves stupid. The trip was a huge success, I learned so much with out even realizing I had done so, and it gave me the travel bug that continues to this day. We spent two months traveling 'round the world (literally!) to Japan, China, Thailand, India, Egypt, Jordan and Greece. During one of Dr. Herrem's inspirational on-site lectur [View Full Entry]

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Happy to be leaving the noise and pollution of Shanghai behind, the original plan was to head straight to Beijing. But the opportunity to visit Xi'an and see the Terracotta Army was too much to pass up. At 1500km, the 16-hour train ride to Xi'an is a rather sizeable detour - the equivalent of going from Vancouver to Edmonton via Prince George. It's a little out of the way, but well worth it. A guy from the hostel met us at the train station as promised for our morning pick-up, which turned out to be a ride on a city bus. [View Full Entry]

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From skyscrapers in Pudong, to thriving shopping, eating and nightlife districts in Puxi, to ship-building along the Huangpu river...everywhere you look, Shanghai is bursting with activity. This city is dotted with construction sites, signaling China's desire to become an economic powerhouse with Shanghai firmly at center stage. It's a booming, busy place with far too many cars and people, but it's flashy, fun and focused on money. The roads are jam-packed with aggressive taxi and bus drivers who wouldn't brake for their own mother. Bicycles rule the side streets - sometimes with oversized [View Full Entry]

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Our names are Camille and Denise LeRouge, and this is one of the longest travel days of our lives. Today we are making the trip from Masuda, Japan to Shanghai, China. The following takes place between 4:45am and 11:59pm. Events occur in real time. 4:45am - Alarm clock goes *beep beep beep* 4:56am - Finally drag ourselves out of bed. 5:33am - Check air-con for the fourth time to make sure it's off despite it not being turned on in over two weeks. 5:58am - Train departs from Masuda, starting a six-hour, seven-transfer journey to Fukuoka Airport. 6:3 [View Full Entry]

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It's been one year since I left and it feels like yesterday - it's amazing how time goes by so quickly. In that year we've done quite a bit of traveling, made plenty of shiny new friends, and have enjoyed a host of unique cultural experiences. It's been quite an adventure to say the least, both good and bad, and I'm very thankful that Denise works so hard so that I can be a lazy mooch. However, life in Japan, in Masuda, has turned out to be vastly different than we expected. Japan can be rather taihen for a foreigner, and [View Full Entry]

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The contents of this entry contain incriminating photographs of me performing acts that would likely get me arrested, possibly even deported. But it was a sacrifice I was willing to make. The things I do for you guys. I woke up early today to accompany Denise to the sleepy mountain town of Hikimi, about 40km south of Masuda. Denise was busy teaching english classes at the Junior High school, so I took it upon myself to mosey over to the local onsen to have a nice, hot bath and shave. I also thought it would be a good idea to bring [View Full Entry]

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Welcome to Bangkok, the ultimate gateway city and #1 destination for sex change operations and first-time backpackers. While the city itself doesn't offer much for the tourist - especially compared to other world capitals - it's a great place to network and sort out details before heading further afield. Travel here is cheap and easy; budget food, accommodation, and transportation are readily available, it's safe and friendly, and you can get a mind-boggling array of sexual favours performed for very little money from very beautiful women. The drawback on that last point being that Thailand [View Full Entry]

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Sometimes things don't always go as planned. I'll spare you the details of booking our flight, accommodation, and train tickets - a logistical nightmare, and a commentary that would make this entry a little exhausting to read. But I will mention the high monsoon winds that stopped the ferries a day before our arrival and threatened to ruin this entire vacation. I'll begin at 8:00am in the town of Surat Thani after an overnight train ride from Bangkok (we had seats, not sleepers - see above). We pull into Surat Thani, the jumping-off point to the southeastern islands, and were greeted [View Full Entry]

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