Archives
Where was I? Big 2015 Trip. Talking about Russia In San Diego. Even though it’s easy to focus on what for me is the most exotic part of B15T, there are actually four main segments: Norway; Riga/Minsk/St. Petersburg/Moscow; the Trans-Siberian Express and layover in Ulan Bator; and Beijing/Seoul. Since I’ve been concentrating on Russia—but mostly the nice people and the borscht, not really on the train part—let me get on board the… Read More
For my birthday lunch, San Diego son Scott offered to take me anywhere in the city. I knew exactly what I wanted. Russian food. Prep for the Big15Trip. I’ll continue to be up front about the fact I’m a foodie failure. I tried—to cook innovatively; love kale; pay attention to the ‘in’ restaurants; read and love and plan to visit NOMA; and, not least, to enjoy foodie conversations with kids, grandkids, and… Read More
POSSIBLY MY BEST TRAVEL MEAL EVER. A SIDEWALK CAFE IN ODESSA, UKRAINE. I HOPE TO DUPLICATE IT ALL ACROSS RUSSIA. My new best friends are the extremely friendly and very competent staffs at Real Russia and Mongolian Secret History. First a bit about Real Russia. Since travel to Russia had become the centerpiece of this trip, I really wanted to work with Russian travel services to get everything booked. I must admit… Read More
MINNESOTA TAIGA. Okay…the time and place of the 2015 San Diego birthday trip is over. Back to work: work work, writing work, class work, photo work, house work, body work. If I were at home I’d lie down on the couch and read awhile, overwhelmed by writing work that many times. Unfortunately I am at the office but it is early and quiet so perhaps there’s time for just a few writing… Read More
I am a traveler. On land, sea, air. In books. On film. It’s the film travel that’s gotten my attention lately. How could it not? First with Virunga (documentary) and Ida (Foreign Film nominee) in preparation for the Oscars. You can’t visit the contemporary Democratic Republic of the Congo and post-WW2 Poland without understanding there is a very diverse world out there to explore. While movies alone won’t make you a world… Read More
There are many stages to making and implementing a travel plan. Idea. Excitement. Fear. Disbelief (that you’re contemplating this really dumb idea). More excitement. More fear. Deciding not to go. Deciding to go. Paying money. Waking up in the middle of the night worried about money. Waking up in the middle of the night worried about getting sick on the Trans-Siberian Express. Feeling the fear subside. Paying money. Fear Gone. Excitement Back…. Read More
2015 saw the first of the seven BIG trips I intend to take before retiring. It was truly Around the World, designed to set the parameters for all to follow—in other words any place on our fragile planet can be on the list; and yes, the Arctic and Antarctica are there. Here’s the actual mileage: 18,287, shorter than the almost 25,000 it would have been had I exactly followed the equator. All… Read More
Preparing to publish the book of Time and Place 2013 and 2014. A small explanation is in order to account for the inclusion of the next few posts—all written in 2015. Confusing I know but here’s the reason. Through January and February, 2015 I was still writing mostly about past travels (although not entirely) so it seems logical to go ahead and include them here…then to launch the next volume of these travel… Read More