'Tis a great land in which we live, is it not? What better way to celebrate the Nation's birth by venturing to its heartland; the fascinating state of Arkansas. Land of mosquitoes, rice fields, paper mills, a president, Wal-Mart and many, many, many Sonic Drive-Thru, Arkansas is a state that I only ever visit while venturing to the other side of the Mississippi River to shop at the West Memphis Wal-Mart Lee, a good friend from work, who was born and bred in the town of Pine Bluff, suggested the Tour D'Arkansas last weekend and lacking any other plans for the 4th our adventure was born. Also in on the trip was more of the work crew, Peter and Mac, and the force of nature known as Miss Mary Frances, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel who ... read more

It's been just over four months since my arrival in Memphis (the city I used to refer to as "The Land of Pork and Poverty") and much to my surprise life here in the capital of the 'Mid-South' region has grown on me. Perhaps its the amazing group of friends from work, the low cost of living, the Southern Charm, non-existent traffic, the chance to live in-town (as opposed to exile in suburban Virginia) and the feel of a small town community in the midst of two million citizens. I'd hoped to gather pictures from a greater variety of Memphis' many neighborhoods but yesterday's walk through the Downtown and South Main Street yielded so many photo opportunities that I'll save Midtown (where I live) for another entry. For those of you that have been following the ... read more

The first entry in my "Lighting Trip" series...more to come. The format will typically be brief, just like the trip itself which likely won't span more than 48 hours on the ground in a given destination. Rio Lightning: 10 hour flight courtesy of United Airlines direct from Dulles. The flight leaves late on Friday and doesn't return until Sunday late night...allowing 36 hours on the ground. Copacabana and Ipanema are THE places to see and be seen in the city, the beaches and people are strikingly beautiful and welcoming. Best local drink, caipirinhas. (crushed lime slices, sugar and a local liquor...quite a combo) Best followup for the resulting hangover, coconut water. Stayed in an amazing hostel "El Misti-Copacabana", check it out. Met some great single-serving friends. Great set of bars and clubs....very Euro feel without the ... read more

At nearly a mile above sea level, the Cameron Highlands provides an escape from the intense tropical humidity found everywhere else in Southeast Asia. Discovered in the mid-1800s by a British surveyor, the Highlands is prized for cool, rainy climate that was long ago recognized as the perfect place for growing tea, cabbage, vegetables, flowers and yes....berries, strawberries to be more specific. Long a favorite desitnation for backpackers, the Cameron Highlands also serves as Malaysia's answer to Gatlinburg, TN. Condominiums designed to look like Tudor-style country homes fill the hillsides and hoards of Asian tourists fill the roads on holiday from nearby Kuala Lumpur. But aside from the masses of tourists brought on by the nation's Labor Day holiday, the Cameron Highlands is usually a quiet place were moss and ivy covered manor homes from ... read more

Founded in the mid-1700s, before the American Colonies decided to get restless, Penang was one of the first outposts of British Imperialism in the Far East. Even before the arrival of the English, Portuguese and Chinese traders already docked in Malaysia's many ports and their influences on the Malay Peninsula ranged from the introduction of Christianity (Portugal) to the creation of a Malay-Chinese hybrid culture. The arrival of the British, and their Indian employees, added even more pieces to this incredible multiethnic puzzle. After the withdrawal of the British in WWII (the Japanese invaded the entire region through Thailand) Penang's fall from grace was rapid; going from a first rate world port, to a forgotten colonial outpost that had outlived its usefulness in just a matter of years. Yet the influences of the British, who packed ... read more