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Trip: The World (Part II)

There are [389] stories from my trip: The World (Part II)


Hiroshima and The Atomic Bomb: Peace Memorial Park

JAPAN | Sunday, 12 Oct 2014 | Views [583]

EVERYONE KNOWS THE STORY, how on the morning of 6 August, 1945 the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the sleepy city of Hiroshima, effectively ending World War II and changing the world forever.  We baby boomers, the “duck and cover”... Read more >


Photos: Hiroshima

JAPAN | Saturday, 11 Oct 2014 | Photo Gallery


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A Tale of Two Castles: Himeji and Hikone

JAPAN | Saturday, 11 Oct 2014 | Views [1487]

WHEN YOU HAVE TIRED OF BUDDHIST/SHINTO TEMPLES and shrines there are actual Japanese castles to visit.  These aren’t the wanna-be castles of Ireland or the fairytale castles of the Rhine, but walled fortresses in the Japanese style, complete ... Read more >


Nara and Horyu-ji

JAPAN | Thursday, 9 Oct 2014 | Views [517]

BEFORE KYOTO (AND LONG BEFORE TOKYO) — way back in 710 — Nara was Japan’s capital.  And while its reign lasted only 75 years, Kodai-ji Temple is a standing reminder of Nara’s glory days.     Stone lanterns ... Read more >


Kyoto: Just Right

JAPAN | Tuesday, 7 Oct 2014 | Views [561]

ARRIVING IN KYOTO, STEEPED AS IT IS IN HISTORY and tradition, from Mongolia, where life goes on much as it has for centuries, was a huge transition.  Visiting Mongolia is a look back at the land of Chingis Khan while being in Japan is peeking into ... Read more >


Photos: Kyoto

JAPAN | Sunday, 5 Oct 2014 | Photo Gallery

Kyoto and Around
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Gobi Farewell

MONGOLIA | Thursday, 2 Oct 2014 | Views [607]

THE FOG WAS SO HEAVY YESTERDAY MORNING that we couldn’t see to the outhouse.  The planned transect walk was cancelled — you can’t count what you can’t see — and we crowded around the kitchen stove drinking tea and ... Read more >


Earthwatch Mongolia: A Day In The Life

MONGOLIA | Tuesday, 30 Sep 2014 | Views [734]

RAINDROPS ARE SPATTERING ON THE ROOF OF THE GER while a haunting melody drifts from Zorigoo’s two-string horsehead fiddle from next door.  We've opted out of this afternoon’s radio-tracking exercise, blaming the cold rain.  Tracking ... Read more >


Argali Sheep Project: Making Our Quota

MONGOLIA | Monday, 29 Sep 2014 | Views [714]

CAPTURING ARGALI WAS AS UNPREDICTABLE as the weather.  After Tuesday’s beginners luck we were skunked on Wednesday so we packed up the nets and moved to a different location as the first raindrops pocked the Gobi dust.  We collected and ... Read more >


Argali Sheep Project: Losing Our Virginity

MONGOLIA | Thursday, 25 Sep 2014 | Views [696]

ARGALI SHEEP ( Ovis ammons ) ARE THE LARGEST of the world’s wild sheep with rams weighing up to 350 pounds.  Our mission is to capture, collect data, collar and release 10 argali and/or ibex while avoiding injury to staff, volunteers and ... Read more >


Earthwatch: Argali Sheep Project

MONGOLIA | Monday, 22 Sep 2014 | Views [636]

ZAYA’S BACKPACKER HOSTEL WAS PRETTY MUCH what we expected, but less than we hoped considering how nice the Platinum Hotel was.  We are sharing a triple with Ann from Lancashire, England and the communal bathrooms with everyone else.  ... Read more >


Gun Galuut Nature Reserve

MONGOLIA | Saturday, 20 Sep 2014 | Views [662]

WE ARRIVED IN MONGOLIA A FEW DAYS EARLY to give us time to scope the place out before our Earthwatch gig.  Ulaanbaatar doesn’t have much to recommend it, (unless you’ve been in the field for two weeks, as we later learned) just another ... Read more >


Photos: Mongolia

MONGOLIA | Wednesday, 17 Sep 2014 | Photo Gallery


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National Museum of Korea

SOUTH KOREA | Sunday, 14 Sep 2014 | Views [542]

NOT ALL MUSEUMS ARE DARK, DUSTY, MUSTY reminders of long-forgotten times.  From the outside the National Museum of Korea could easily be mistaken for a museum of contemporary art.  Inside it is bright and airy with a three-storey atrium. ... Read more >


Seoul Train to Suwon

SOUTH KOREA | Saturday, 13 Sep 2014 | Views [496]

THE SEOUL METRO IS A SPARKLING JEWEL.  For less than two dollars you can ride in comfort almost anywhere on the system and make some (un) necessary purchases along the way.  Pesky stains on your favorite white shirt?  Bad back? No problem.... Read more >


Seoul Searching

SOUTH KOREA | Friday, 12 Sep 2014 | Views [604]

IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I FLEW on a 747, a plane that has been in operation for nearly 45 years and I had never before flown on Korean Airlines.  I am happy to report that between the two we had a wonderful flight from Hong Kong to Seoul.... Read more >


Photos: South Korea

SOUTH KOREA | Friday, 12 Sep 2014 | Photo Gallery


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Bagan

MYANMAR | Monday, 8 Sep 2014 | Views [587]

I HAVE ONLY ONE REGRET — THAT WE DIDN'T PLAN ON more time in Myanmar.  Coming here was an afterthought, another of our “while we’re at it” moments.  We weren’t even certain of getting visas in Hong Kong and we ... Read more >


Inle Lake

MYANMAR | Saturday, 6 Sep 2014 | Views [509]

THE BOATMAN WAS WAITING AT 6:15 when we finisihed breakfast.  We followed him for a kilometer from the hotel through town to his mooring.  Nyanung Shwe is hopping in the early morning.  People gassing up their motorbikes, shopowners getting ... Read more >


The Authentic Asia

MYANMAR | Friday, 5 Sep 2014 | Views [621]

THE KBZ FLIGHT FROM YANGON LEFT FIFTEEN MINUTES EARLY, as if to make up for all of the late flights in China.  It’s only an hour to Heho and another hour by taxi to Nyaung Shwe and the Amazing Nyaung Shwe Hotel which is surprisingly amazing.... Read more >


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Easter Island, 2012

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