Journey of Echoes

China gets a lot of heat in the news these days. If it's not blinding pollution levels in Beijing, it's the protesting in Hong Kong, or the website filtering throughout the mainland. And then there's of course the whole “these islands are ours, not yours” debacle. Whew! So, on that note, what is in fact part of China and NOT part of China? This short-lived conversation with my coworker will help us get started: “Are you staying in China for the holiday?” My coworker asks. “Actually, I'm headed to Taiwan!” I reply. “Taiwan IS China,” she squawks back. Not wanting to argue I say, “Right, then umm, I guess I'm staying in China!” The contestants: The ongoing debate of the autonomous region of Tibet. The slightly confusing Hong Kong debacle with the “one country, ... read more

“Wait... I don't think they're going to cook it,” I say looking down at the freshly slaughtered sea cucumber we just bought; chopped rings of flesh still wriggling and pulsating on the plate. It was alive seconds ago... and maybe it still is? One of the women gives us a spicy sauce for dipping and some seaweed. We plop down at a table a mere 20 feet from the sea. “Cheers!” we say tapping our chopsticks together and then slurp down a slimy animated morsel... More about the squirmy seaside delights in a bit... Known as Korea's signature honeymoon destination, Jeju Island boasts a giant volcano right in its center and is blanketed endlessly by flowers in the Spring. Charcoal cliffs and jagged formations rule most of the coastline causing waterfalls to pour directly into the ... read more

Oh, the irony! It’s kind of ironic that I’ve trotted to the other side of the world to various exotic countries yet haven’t been to the one that’s right next door to my homeland. And if not for the close proximity, why have I not been of the basis of FOOD alone. Mexican cuisine has always been one of my top culinary contenders! So, it was time to set sail in search of a plate of tacos to remind me why Taco Bell is merely a façade of what authentic Mexican should be. Vamanos! Despite the catastrophes Carnival Cruise Lines had been involved in over the past couple years, I decided to take my chances AND take advantage of the low prices that were likely a result of all the bad media. Carnival Paradise: Tampa to ... read more

Multicolored umbrellas cast shade upon the beach chairs below. A rainbow of frozen beverages locked into death-grips are slurped up by their consumers in a race against inevitable melting. Bikinis, speedos, flip flops, sunglasses. Forgotten smudges of creamy sunblock cling to unflattering body parts. Hot sun, scorching sands, boiling sea water. Lobsters turn belly up right in the surf and offer themselves with a side of melted butter... It's officially the first place in Asia I've been where there are visibly more foreigners than locals. As if a virus-induced zombie apocalypse has hit Europe and a lucky bunch escaped only to rot away on this island. And like the doomed populations they left behind, the escapees drag their limbs down the sand grunting for piña coladas instead of brains. But isn't that why we traipse off ... read more

Dear travel Lord, There comes a point in a backpacker's odyssey when the knots in his back and dirt under his finger nails come together and demand a higher standard of accommodation. With a bag full of stinky clothes and the anticipation for a soft mattress, I stroll up (going comando no less) to the counter at the Cambridge Swissbel 5-star hotel in Medan. "I have a reservation for three nights," I say as a member of staff hands me a complimentary fresh-squeezed pineapple juice. "Of course," the receptionist responds then informs me about in-room dining, the spa, and pool. "Enjoy your stay, sir." Recuperation and relaxation here I come! I arrived in Medan by a small van twisting and turning once again through the mountain curves. My driver and his buddy chain smoking the entire ... read more