I was first in Ubud 21 years ago when there was a resident mad artist named Antonio Blanco. Pico Iyer wrote about visiting Blanco in his book that made an indelible impression on me, “Video Night in Kathmandu,” so, naturally, … Continue reading
The Dromomaniac
Last time I wrote, I took a $29 flight, including all taxes, from Surabaya to Bali. I discovered that the alternative, a bus/ferry/bus combination, was $19 and takes 15 hours, usually as an overnight journey. I mentioned this to three … Continue reading
Pop quiz! Name the top 6 countries that send the most tourists to Bali. I bet you can get only 3 of them, and I bet you can’t guess #2. Answer at the bottom of this post. Since my brouhaha … Continue reading
I was quickly reminded of the only thing I hate about traveling in Indonesia: traveling in Indonesia. The way bus drivers attack the road makes me berserk. It’s nothing other than pedal to the metal or hard braking. The swerving, … Continue reading
It’s been an enjoyable winter being home, watching the Republican presidential candidates try to out-Neanderthal each other. It would be more enjoyable if I didn’t fear one of them winning in November, but it’s time to leave that behind, pack … Continue reading
I regularly get people emailing me at their wit’s end because they want to go from A to B and can’t find a cheap ticket. Somehow I’ve become the Cheap Flight Guru, though I hate looking for flights as much … Continue reading
I had jury duty last week. I was hoping it would be a trial of someone stealing travel website content or a jaywalker so I could scream, “OFF WITH HIS HEAD!” It’s surprising how easy it is to get excused … Continue reading
Here’s what I wanted to do: buy a one-way ticket from USA to Indonesia with EVA Air, a Taiwanese airline, on Orbitz.com. However, I needed one bit of information that wasn’t on the website. I wanted to know the fare … Continue reading
Just back from a few days in LA, and it always confirms to me that it is one of the great cities of the modern world. However, I am no mood to defend that statement right now, no matter how … Continue reading
On a day that will live in infamy, March 17, 2010, I started this blog. A minute of silence will commence at 7:33 PST to signify when I first started cursing at WordPress, an emotional moment indeed. Since then I’ve … Continue reading
