China: Lost in Transition

China: Lost in Transition

China: Lost in Transition Where does one buy chopsticks in Beijing? This isn’t simply a zen koan, the questions the masters ask their students in order to break habits of thought and open their minds. This question, that I asked myself one evening while contemplating the leftover spicy beef in the white cardboard box, on … Continued

Myanmar: Bikes in Bagan (video)

Watch: Bikes in Bagan, Day 4, Myanmar (Burma)  With our bikes from New Park Hotel, we explored many temples including:  Gu-byauk-gyi (wet-kyin) with incredible paintings but you cannot take photos or video for preservation reasons. Gu-byauk-nge: Due to its smaller size, you can see all three of the four seated Buddhas at once. It has … Continued

Nuh, India: Starry Nights

Gazing long into the endless night skies sprinkled with diamond like stars had always fascinated me. In the autumn of 2004, came an unexpected opportunity. It brought S.P.A.C.E. in my life. S.P.A.C.E. i.e. Science Popularization Association of Commutators and Educators is an organization which promote science and in particular astronomy. The moment I heard about … Continued

Contraband: Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan

Contraband: Border crossing between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan The late afternoon sun was relentless as we waited in no man’s land between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. A slight breeze came up from the river separating the two countries, so we stood on the bridge in an attempt to feel it on our burning skin. The river, equipped … Continued

True Weight Loss Story: Diets in Review

Thank you to Dani Stone for her article about my True Weight Loss Journey in Diets in Review. Lisa Niver Rajna is a member of the prestigious Traveler’s Century Club, a unique group limited to travelers who have visited 100 or more countries. She enjoys trekking to new locales so much, she even co-authors a … Continued

India: Lost and Found in Mumbai

LOST AND FOUND IN MUMBAI By Arti Agarwal I was an oilfield engineer; the kind who wear muddy, greasy coveralls, work with hefty tools in the sun and the rain, have big degrees from an IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), work on five computers all at the same time, monitor data from the earth in … Continued

Sri Lanka: Free to be Me

A never ending sky. The grey-black clouds speak of a dusk, yet to arrive. The sun is still visible. But this is not the arrogant, scorching sun of noon; it is a gentle, mellow light that paints its surroundings in vibrant hues. Sometimes, you may see a boat, dot the horizon. An infinitesimal entity, gliding … Continued

Japan: Forca Brasil

It wasn’t until the Japanese cover band performed “Stand by Me” that the Brazilian flags were raised, a blaze of electric yellow, green and blue waving gloriously against the clear skies of Nagoya’s late afternoon sunshine. Seated on a picnic table in Japan’s Central Park with a plate of yakitori, I watched as sixty or … Continued

India: Spellbinding Jaisalmer

In the middle of the endless, dry desert suddenly there was a riot of colors. People decked in bright colors were sprouting vividly in barren of the mighty Thar. Heartrending music, the setting sun and the adorned camels ready to gallop with you. It was a carnival. It was Sam! At the annual festival of … Continued

Parahawking in Nepal: Free as a bird

I have been backpacking by myself for more than a year all around the world and I have plenty of anecdotes to tell. But when I hear the words ‘independent’ and ‘travel’, I immediately think of an amazing adventure I had while traveling in Nepal. Besides all the culture and natural beauty Nepal has to … Continued

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