Before I go – Passports & Visas

I suppose it goes without saying, you need a passport to travel. Nearly every country will deny you entry without a passport that is valid for at least 6 months past your date of entry. You should actually make sure it is valid for at least a year to avoid any issues. Mine was fine, …

Germans and dumplings

I’m back in Seattle from my short stint in Hong Kong and Macau. Hong Kong reminded me of a more interesting and dynamic Singapore. There is far more going on and the vibe is far more interesting than in Singapore. I think it also helps that not everyone is living in fear of a $500 …

Great food and great views in Hong Kong

Traveling to Hong Kong for work has been very interesting. Hong Kong is cosmopolitan with a mix of people from all over the world. Everywhere you go you see people from mainland China, the UK and the surround Asian region. Everything is bustling and moving quickly, and the people will tell you that in Hong …

Paradise has bad traffic

I’ve finally returned from my trip to Indonesia and Singapore. It was my true intent to write posts as I traveled. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out to be possible. We were on such a blitz of traveling there was not be a moment to even breath, let alone write a post. While I had a …

Jakarta Indonesia

Jakarta is a complete assault on the senses. The traffic is intensely bad, the rivers and canals are terribly polluted, there is a layer of filth covering everything, and it’s truly amazing! There is a constant bustle of activity everywhere that never stops. On one street you see beautiful, modern houses and across from it …

Dragons and a good caning

With the house finally sold, I need a vacation! For the next three weeks, I am heading to Indonesia and Singapore with a couple of friends and my 15-year-old niece. Yup, my niece is going with us. She is very excited about the trip. This will be her first big trip and first international trip. …

Dream destinations

We all have dream destinations. I have been to a few of mine already, but there are far more on my list that I haven’t yet visited. I am a big fan of nature and historic structures. And, of course, the unique and interesting is hard to beat. While I would love to visit Antarctica, …

Backpacks versus suitcases

As I prepare for my trip to Turkey, I was thinking about which would be better: backpack or suitcase? I have used both on trips and they both tend to work well. In some circumstances, the suitcase is preferred. In others, the backpack definitely rules. I read a blog in which someone said they decided …