I’m Julian, a video game Project Manager turned travel planning junkie. Join me as I figure out the best ways to explore offbeat destinations; sharing my advice, adventures, and photography along the way.
If you were to imagine a typical Bulgarian beach, would you think of powdery sand, warm tropical water, and day after day of golden sunshine? I...
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“Why are you traveling to Bulgaria? Where in the world is it? Are they known for…anything?” These are the types of questions I hear...
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Let’s get personal for a second here. 7 years ago, the city of Philadelphia unexpectedly established itself as an important chapter in my...
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Thus far, my time with the Journey to Freedom program, Elephant Nature Park’s “premier volunteering experience,” had been...
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There was one aspect that had me absolutely tearing my hair out though – long distance transportation. Or more specifically, trying to locate the information to even begin planning. In a country where bookings are often still filled out and logged by hand, finding up-to-date info isn’t always easy.
I’d already experienced the thrill ride that was the Myanmar train system, so a repeat trip was out of the question. The bus from Bagan was supposed to take 14 hours, with a transfer in Kalaw – essentially requiring 2 full transit days. This just meant that I only had a single option if I really wanted to check out the unique ecosystem within Inle Lake.
I’d have to take an airplane. Read More
I continued muttering expletives to myself as I wandered through the yard of yet another mountainside home. When my driver Aung had dropped me off at the roadside entrance to Mount Popa earlier, he had promised that there was no possible way I could get lost. So much for that.
To make things even more frustrating, I just needed to look out towards the horizon to see exactly where I wanted to get to. It was impossible to miss.
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I stared down at the brown round globule sitting on top of a small mound of sesame seeds. Do I really have to eat this? Usually I’m pretty open when it comes to mysterious food items, but this just seemed so… nondescript – like the taste could go in a million different directions. Of course, it didn’t help that the owner of this particular Myanmar farm was hovering right next to me, patiently awaiting my inevitable reaction with a sly smile.
Oh well. Better not to drag this one out. I tossed my head back while dumping the contents over my tongue, hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Read More
Not exactly the kind of instruction I was expecting when we arrived at this deserted temple to see the sun set over Old Bagan. Also, not something I wanted to hear as I got ready to ascend a dark ancient staircase that looked to be right out of a movie set. Surely Aung was at least going to join me, just to ensure that I wouldn’t be heading up into the great and potentially dangerous unknown by myself… right?
“You go ahead. I will wait for you down in the car.” Read More
