Tales of travel, humor, sarcasm and other nonsense.
A Civilization at its Peak
No one knows why the Incas built Machu Picchu in the first place, at the height of their power, or what the heck they did up there.
A Garden on the Wrong Side of the Road
To be fair, the left side of the road isn’t really the wrong side. It’s an arbitrary choice, I think. I just don’t understand why the motoring world didn’t get together a long time ago and pick one side or the other.
Wining and Dining at the End of the World
After getting soaked at Victoria Falls (and slightly abused by a couple of South Africa’s budget airlines) our little ragamuffin gang – whoops, I mean our ambiguity – touched down in Cape Town to enjoy a few days of touring at a somewhat more relaxed pace.
Ambiguity in the Mist
Apart from our time in South Africa, our little ragamuffin gang also took a side trip to the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. That’s where you’ll find Victoria Falls, one of the so-called seven natural wonders of the world.
A Blog in the Bush
Blogging about a safari in the 21st Century seems like an almost pointless endeavor. After all, far better writers than me long ago documented the thrills of being ten feet away from a massive predator capable of ripping you to pieces in seconds flat.
A Gateway to Africa
Though Johannesburg is much safer than it used to be, it does still have some very poor areas, and it’s still not a place where ragamuffin tourists should wander around independently. So we hired a car and a guide, and got out there to see what Johannesburg is all about.
Epilogue: Mikki’s New Boo
Despite touring Japan for three solid weeks, we nearly failed in our quest to bring home a mate for Mikki, our antique Kokeshi doll.
Bonus Footage: The Shops of Tokyo Station
One Last Glass o’ Sake
Given Osaka’s size and commercial prowess, not to mention its reputation as a breeding ground for Japanese organized crime, the best American analogy might be Chicago.
Where the Streets Have New Names
Hiroshima today is a vibrant, bustling city. If you didn’t know an atomic bomb completely destroyed it, killing hundreds of thousands of people near the end of a war three-quarters of a century ago, you might not believe it actually happened.
Shrine, Shrine, Everywhere a Shrine
Once upon a time, Kyoto was the largest and richest city in Japan; the seat of imperial power. Then the shoguns took over.
