You know those Booking.com commercials where the weary travelers check-in to their hotels and are elated? That’s how I felt arriving near midnight in Sydney at Finger Wharf Woolloomooloo. Getting from Guam to anywhere besides a handful of Asian cities is a long process. I often arrive in a new city under the cover of night,…
I didn’t expect to like Shanghai so much. It was simply a gateway from Guam to Zhangjiajie and those majestic “Avatar” mountains. After 10 days in rural China, I was ready for a few nights in the city. I pictured Shanghai the way I’ve heard Beijing described — imposing, smoggy, and crowded. After all, Shanghai has…
It’s perfectly safe for solo travel, easy to navigate, and incredibly clean. Whether you visit Sydney for food, architecture, or arts, only a miser would refuse to be charmed. I’ve never met a traveler who gave Sydney a bad review. That being said, if you are American, check the exchange rate because Australia ain’t cheap. During…
…Shaggy-haired blondes hauling surfboards, athletic trios of twentysomethings in sports bras and spandex, and barefoot dudes in board shorts. At sunrise, Sydney’s Bondi Beach is filling up with beachcombers, surfers, and photographers. Swimmers cut through the water in the pool at Bondi Icebergs, seemingly oblivious to the waves bursting over the side. It is one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen (and I…
I didn’t visit every destination on my 2015 bucket list this year, but that’s just fine. I’m more interested in quality travel than in quantity. This is perhaps why I don’t travel full-time. I grounded myself for six months (!) to work on my first documentary film. I’m glad to report I’m almost done… And…
You may have read on The Guam Guide (my other travel website) that airfare to Guam plunged to $744 round-trip. Just to put that in perspective, I’ve never seen it below $1,100 and the fare averages $1,600! It’s a great time to travel from the U.S. to Guam (my home). Guam is an English-speaking U.S….
What is close, but off the beaten path; urban, but otherworldly? The volcanic craters in Reykjavik. Norðurflug Helicopter Tours was kind enough to sponsor a Reykjavik Summit Tour on our last of nine days in Iceland. I wasn’t going to fly all the way from Guam to Iceland and not get an aerial view. The tour starts with…
I grew up on Chicago jazz, though not in the traditional sense. In the ’90s, before I knew anything about Chicago, I was blissing out to post-rockers Tortoise and pretty much every band on the brilliant indie label, Thrill Jockey. The band’s blend of krautrock, dub, electronica, and yes, jazz came to define Chicago in my mind. I’ve always associated…
Reykjavík completely won me over… And not just because I’m a Björkie. Iceland’s capital has everything I long for in a city: character, culture, food, and architecture. Bonus points to this town of 118,000 for being safe, clean, and pedestrian-friendly. Steep and narrow streets lined with colorful houses, hip shops, and tons of eclectic restaurants empty…
Watch the latest travel film all about my adventures in Cairns, Australia.
