On the road leading to Jaipur we pass fields of bright yellow mustard. Bullock carts are replaced by camel carts. Some camels have intricate designs shaved into their fur, or brightly colored pom poms, streamers or bangles to make them more beautiful than the competition. Ocassionally, desert girls peer from draped headscarves, revealing amazing green … Continue reading
After using every last day of our 30-day Indonesia visa we moved on to Singapore. To make the most of SE Asia’s most modern and expensive city we used our Marriott point stockpile to check in for five days at the landmark Singapore Marriott, located smack in the middle of Orchard Road, a main retail … Continue reading
We had the pleasure of our first couchsurfing experience with the Higashi family in Sakurai, about an hour south of Nara. For those not familiar with couchsurfing, it’s a program where people open their homes to travelers who not only benefit from a free place to stay, also get to know local hosts (and vice … Continue reading
It seems every Japanese city has a hometown hero, mascot or theme. You see it in decorations, in gifts for purchase, even in the food. The story of Momotaro, the boy who sprang from a peach with his dog and monkey to fight off demons is a well known and well loved tale. His statue … Continue reading
Hakone and the surrounding area is a traditional gateway for people from Yokohama and Tokyo to escape the city and get out into nature. The area is mountainous and forested, and there are lots of things to do. Mt. Fuji is close, and if it isn’t covered in clouds you can get a gorgeous view. … Continue reading
The following day, my former homestay sister picked us up to spend a few days with her family. On the way, we took a long, relaxing detour to Sankeien, an expansive park with lots of trees flowers and a small lake, opened to the public in 1906. There are also a few relocated buildings, including … Continue reading
Arriving at Yokohama Station, I felt like I was back on my old stomping grounds. I lived here for about a year, my senior year of high-school and the summer after. I haven’t been the best at keeping in touch with my Hodogaya High classmates, but that didn’t stop us from putting together a little … Continue reading
Today was the day I met Pete for the second time. The first time had been 22 years ago, as exchange students in Japan. Though we were just teens then, I guess we were pretty good judges of character, since the four of us (Donny and Pete’s partner Kate included) had a wonderful day exploring, walking, chatting … Continue reading
It had been much too long since we’d seen friends Teeg and Amy. After trying Teeg’s favorite beer in Omaha, we head home for an amazing home-grilled meal across the bridge in Council Bluffs, IA. There was steak, sweet and yellow potatoes, salmon, asparagus, peppers, squash, and portabello mushrooms the size of your face. Everything … Continue reading
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