Around The World On TV
Around The World On TV. I have had an odd and uncanny ability to get on TV. But only after I have departed the US. In fact, the camera is not too fond of me in my own homeland. I will take you back many years ago … to the fourth grade. The local TV station had recruited our class to be involved in a Valentine Day feel-good TV segment. Each one of my classmates would make a Valentine’s Day card for their hero. My classmates and I gripped our oversized cards and spoke for a moment about our hero. I chose Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. Later that evening, my parents and I huddled around the TV to watch my gap-toothed smile in action. Classmate after classmate heralded their hero. And then the segment came to an end. I did not make the cut. My footage had been discarded in the trash heap. The producer had deemed I was not worthy of my 15 minutes of fame. Despite my initial set [...]
Travel Musings From Kazakhstan
Travel Musings From Kazakhstan. Why do we like to travel? Yes, of course, it is the momentous experiences that are burned in your psyche. Sunrise at the Taj Mahal. Watching a lion tear into a gazelle in the Serengeti near dusk. Gazing at the mysterious Moai on Easter Island as the waves of the Pacific Ocean lap up against the shore. But sometimes it’s the little things. The smile from the shopkeeper who adds in another banana in your bag. The taxi driver who brings you to your hotel for free from the bus stop with a wink. Some of these ordinary moments make the biggest impact. Airbnb I originally planned to visit Almaty in the fall of 2016, but had to cancel at the last minute. For that visit, I had contacted Denis, an American living in Almaty, who organized walking tours. When re-planning my visit in 2018, I returned to his website to book some tours, but was disappointed to see that his company was not offering tours until the start of April (I was [...]
Top Sights Almaty Kazakhstan
Top Sights Almaty Kazakhstan. Almaty is not elbowing out Paris any time soon on top travel lists, but this Central Asian city should be included on your to-visit-lists. Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan (yes, that one, made famous by Borat) nearing two million people. For decades, Almaty served as Kazakhstan’s capital, until the capital was recreated in futuristic Astana, a 12 hour train to the north. Kazakhstan, today’s largest landlocked country, was formally part of the Soviet Union from 1920 to 1991 and then gained its independence when the Soviet Union withered away. Kazakhstan derives its wealth from rich resources of oil, gas, and minerals. Historically, Kazakhstan was comprised of nomadic people who roamed the steppes. The Russian Empire made their first forays into Kazakhstan in the 18th century, and by the mid-19th century, Kazakhstan was nominally ruled by the Russian Empire. Almaty is an interesting mix. It is full of Kazaks and Russians. Muslims and Christians. A smorgasbord of Russian, Soviet and modern design. Almaty sits in a valley at the foothills of the [...]
Frank Grosse-Oetringhaus … has created a list of 5,000 places in the world to visit
Frank has nearly visited the 5,000 places on his list which makes him the best traveled person in terms of quality. [Download .mp3] Frank passionately believes in what he calls quality tourism, which he defines as the opposite of checking boxes. So instead of focusing on crossing borders, he focuses on visiting places of note which he believes contributes to authentic and meaningful travel. Frank despite being listed #5 on Nomad Mania, just recently visited his 193rd country in 2016. Frank and his partner have traveled virtually non stop over the last 10 years to complete his list of 5000 places. He has a definitive travel style which does not allow for deviation of plans, since his focus is to visit 1.36 sites a day on average. Completing this list allows him to call himself the “The Best Traveled Man On Earth: Best in Quality Based On Highlights”. Frank has traveled to the far corners of the globe with visits to both the North and South Pole as well as the circumnavigation of Antarctica and the Arctic. [...]
Saving Money While Traveling Vaccines Overseas
Saving Money While Traveling Vaccines Overseas. I can’t travel, I don’t have any money. Have you ever said that? I have a couple of tricks to save money while hitting the road. I have repaired luggage zippers in Yerevan, Armenia. Timed my haircut for Granada and Bhutan. And gotten my vaccines in Bangkok. Every year or so, I check in with the Northwestern Travel Medicine in Chicago and receive a consultation. Over Christmas when I was back in Chicago I was able to do a phone consultation, where the travel nurse informed me that my Typhoid vaccine had expired. The cost of the Typhoid vaccine was going to set me back $300. Ouch. I then checked in with the Minute Clinic at CVS, and things were not that much more promising, with the cost being over $200. But I had an ace in my pocket. The Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University in Bangkok. Cost of the Typhoid vaccine under $15. Of course, this opens up a Pandora’s Box of the true cost of medicine, but that is [...]
Island Paradise Nyaung Oo Phee
Island Paradise Nyaung Oo Phee. Salt-colored sand. Translucent azure ocean waters. Tranquility and serenity. Every year it becomes more challenging to find your own secret hideaway. Between Tripadvisor, apps, and social media there are fewer and fewer undiscovered corners of the world. But I found my slice of perfection. How is this for crystal clear water? Off the west coast of Thailand is the Andaman Sea, which is dotted with dreamy islands covered with white sands and thick verdant green forests. Speedboats ferry tourists to these islands to snorkel and snap selfies. Unfortunately, upwards to a couple of thousand people can be deposited at the same time which blanket the beaches and detract from the physical perfection. In fact, the volume of visitors can be so overwhelming, that some of the Thai islands have been shut down, no longer welcoming visitors. Imagine milling around with 2,000 tourist on a single beach as 50 speedboats deliver their passengers. Snorkeling is pretty incredible here. https://youtu.be/Mkf-STwucow This octopus is amazing. Check out its camouflage capabilities. https://youtu.be/xnWkZTLRwoI But a [...]
