I was less than an hour into my drive from Portland Oregon back home to Bellingham Washington when I pulled off for gas. I was accelerating up the entrance ramp to rejoin I-5 when I noticed a figure standing… Read More ›
Hosteling
Adventure and Love, Decade After Decade After Decade
I happily clicked on the email from the West End Hotel in Edinburgh Scotland. Pleasant memories of conversations with locals, live music with a Scottish brogue and a Victorian ceiling so tall you could stack bunks four high, led to my first… Read More ›
Croatia Video – Shoot, Don’t Shoot
Below is a short video of my travels through Croatia livened up with a song by Great Big Sea. If you don’t like the photos you’ll at least hear a song performed by some fun loving Canadians. (And who doesn’t like… Read More ›
COPS San Juan Puerto Rico
Despite some of the esthetic short comings I mentioned in my last post associated with our San Juan hostel I still prefer staying in hostels over hotels, especially if I am traveling alone. Hostels tend to attract both workers… Read More ›
Ship To Shore
Upon entering Puerto Rico the US immigration officer found me suspicious and stopped me to ask a few details about my life. He finally felt comfortable enough to let me enter my country, handed back my passport and said, “You… Read More ›
Edinburgh to the Southampton Docks
If cell phones truly cause brain tumors the fella at the next table must be nurturing a big one. He’s been talking non-stop for at least an hour. Dictation more than conversation. The victim on the other end has either… Read More ›
Scottish Hospitality
Rain drops pounded the roof and wipers squeaked as the driver opened the door and announced, “Cross Roads”. It was time for us to leave the bus. Once outside my puffy, dry rain coat quickly flattened under the force of… Read More ›
They Speak My Language
A short plane ride, brief chat with immigration and suddenly I have been catapulted from the ranks of illiterate immigrant to native speaker, able to read, write and sing along with the lads. After more than four months of being… Read More ›
Camino Frances Part 11 – ‘Camino – What To Pack’
With my Camino just completed I thought it would be a good time to share my thoughts on gear selection with future pilgrims. The most important advice I have is pack light. The less you carry the more enjoyable the… Read More ›
Camino Frances Part 10 – Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, under the gray, rain threatening Galician skies appeared more medieval than I could have ever imagined. Although the structure was dark and heavy the mood of the entering pilgrims was light, lifted by a… Read More ›
