The first way to ruin your ten days in Philippines might be a roadside circumcision (1500 pesos = US$33) but the main thing is to have Easter be in the middle and a dental visits on both ends of it. … Continue reading
The Dromomaniac
PRACTICAL INFORMATION: Did you know there are about ten cities in China at this point that allow visa-free entry if you stay less than 72 hours? It’s not so practical unless you are flying through China on different airlines or … Continue reading
Visiting an embassy or consulate to get a visa can be such a great introduction of what the country is like. (My most memorable embassy visit might be getting a Yugoslav/Serbian visa in Tirana, Albania, just after the war, but … Continue reading
PRACTICAL INFORMATION: When searching for cheap flights on the likes of Momondo and Kayak, the problem is the unfamiliar website they send you—aside from the fact that they don’t always have English versions of their websites—is that they can try … Continue reading
I was in transit in New Delhi airport. My Air India flight to get there was delayed four hours and then my next flight was delayed four hours. I asked the agent if there was an explanation and he simply … Continue reading
Every once in a while I re-post this because my traffic spikes with Iranians who can’t get enough of Golshifteh Farahani. I can’t get enough of her name. How many cool, unisex-sounding names are out there these days? Not many. … Continue reading
I once had a job—no, really, it’s true, but wait, I’m not finished—in Silicon Valley where I gave notice on a Tuesday that I would be quitting in two weeks. Of course my boss was devastated and showed early signs … Continue reading
Greetings from California! This is a short mailbag since I believe everyone wishes I wrote less. First, thank you to Graydon (a Canadian!) for this guess-that-toilet game, The Crapper Mapper, and thank you to Lisa (from Canada’s neighbor!) for this … Continue reading
I sense that any Filipinos about to read this are curling their fingers into fists right now, ready to lash out at another denigration of their beloved food. Filipino food is much-maligned. I myself might have been doing the maligning … Continue reading
I want to be that one traveler who likes Manila. I can have a great time in many cities travelers despise: Jakarta, Medan, Kolkata, Frankfurt, Lima, etc., but Manila is a test. I had forgotten how overwhelming the poverty is. … Continue reading
