I just posted the second entry about my Thailand trip. If you're reading this it means you're probably still seeing my old Blogger feed. So make sure to update your subscription feed to my new Wordpress feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/idealistcafeblog

And here's the latest Thailand post I just posted:
Arrival in Bangkok, Khao San, and the Grand Palace

Oh yea, and make sure you update your feed!

Labels: bangkok, Thailand, travel

First view of China from the skyEntry 1 from our Thailand trip

We were sitting there in Guangzhou Airport without our passports. It wasn't exactly how we wanted our trip to Thailand to start. Up until a few hours ago, things were fine. There were no problems boarding the plane in Los Angeles, and the flight to Guangzhou went off without a problem. We knew we'd be in the Guangzhou airport for 7 hours before our next flight, and though typically there is no red tape to navigate nor Visa concerns as long as you plan to stay in the terminal, from my research it looked China had some extra tight restrictions for American citizens arriving there, so I put in a call to the embassy prior to leaving to be certain that we would be fine. (Just trying to contact someone at the consulate was no trivial task!) As expected, we were told that as long as our stay was less than 24 hours and we stayed in airport terminal, we'd be fine.

When we had checked in with China Southern Airline in Los Angeles, the agent was unable to check us through to Bangkok, presumably because the second leg of our flight was with Thai Airways. This raised a red flag in my mind, but she assured us that it would be no problem. We were told that we would simply need to claim our bags and go to the transfer desk to check in for our next flight. So after getting off the plane in China, I was a bit surprised to see that after a short walk we arrived at China's immigration and customs, and I could see the baggage claim on the other side behind them. Right away we told the immigration officer that this was not our final destination, so he asked to see our ongoing tickets. We tried to lay it out as simply as possible, saying we didn't have any because they were not able to be issued in LA, but that we had no intention of leaving the airport. All we wanted to do was claim our bag as we were told to do, and check in for our next flight. We were let through and told to "wait over there", while our passports were handed off to someone else who promptly disappeared. A little group of passengers started to form near us, all of whom seemed to be having a similar problem. Eventually things became quite chaotic, but eventually someone came over and found us by holding the passports up in the air and then scanning for the faces which matched the passport photos. Our passports were returned to us and several others, along with what looked like boarding passes. We were then ushered through to a secondary security check.


At the gate, ready to goTurns out that it was only a temporary boarding pass, and the passports only stayed in our hands for a few minutes. After we were brought through more security, and assured that our bags would be handled and routed to our final destinations, we were shown back into the terminal. But our passports and passes were promptly taken away from us again, and we were brought to a room in the lower level and furthest corner of the airport, and simply told to wait, have some lunch, and that our passports with new boarding passes would be brought to us "soon."

Well, to make a long story short, there were about 8 of us in total from all the incoming flights that morning who were inexplicably placed in this situation, and after 5 or 6 hours of waiting sans passports, we were located and our passports and boarding passes were handed over to us. There were no explanations, and I still don't know what the reasons were. Though it was certainly a strange 5 hours in the airport with no passport, and it turned out to be ok in the end. Because this happened to so few of us, all I can think is that 1) because we didn't have our ongoing boarding passes and didn't have Chinese Visas, they wanted to make sure we stuck around, 2) it was some confusion because we all had multi carrier flights and they were trying to do us a favor but procuring the boarding passes for us, and due to our early (6AM) arrival or extended layover, there was some logistical reason we couldn't get our boarding passes ourselves or 3) it was simply some matter of inexplicable Chinese confusion. It was also quite possibly a combination of the three, though personally, my guess is that it was theory #1.

So eventually we boarded our Thai Airways flight, and though only three hours, it was one of the most pleasant flights I've ever been on. Comfortable plane, friendly staff, and good food and free booze! Arrival in Bangkok went smoothly, and after clearing immigration we made an ATM stop then went straight out to the official taxi stand and were soon zipping along to our hotel in the Banglamphu district, near Khao San Road. The taxi ride took maybe 45 minutes, and cost about 400 Baht. (This included a 50 Bath taxi fee for leaving the airport, 70 Baht for tolls on the tollway, and tip.)

Next up, our first night and day in Thailand...

See entry and more photos here

Related Links:

Labels: adventure, airport security, china, travel

I spent the past 14 days in Thailand (with a 5 hour stint in Narita, Japan). My New Year was spent on the beach at the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan, and then I spent some time in the Krabi area, including Krabi Town, Koh Phi Phi and Ao Nang. So needless to say it will take me a few days to get back to reality. If I can get my ass in gear, over the next few weeks I will try to post some photos and some of my journal entries from the trip.

Hope all is well with all of you, and that you had a holiday as good as I did!


Looking down to Koh Phi Phi from viewpoint

Labels: adventure, Thailand, time off, travel, vacation

Beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains

Memories from Colorado trip earlier this year...

After descending over the Rocky Mountains on one of the more bumpy flights I've ever had, we arrived in Denver on Friday morning. The plan was to check out the major cities of Colorado over the next four and a half days, and while we were at to sample a lot of the great breweries and pubs in the area as well. It turned out to be a sort of impromtu beer tour, but that worked just fine because it gave us direction and motivation to keep moving along. So to get started, we picked up the rental car and then headed straight to Boulder, which was the place I was looking most forward to seeing. I had only driven through Colorado, without ever having spent any time there, so this was all new to me.

I had written down a few potential places to stay, but we decided on the Quality Inn, as it was the only one I knew of that was walking distance to Pearl Street. It turned out to be a great choice, and I can say without a doubt that it is probalby one of the nicest Quality Inns I've ever stayed at. Without going into all the details of what we did, I will say that we loved Boulder, and decided on staying a second night, which gave us more time to explore. (This was partly due to the snow storm in the mountains which we opted not to drive though heading to our next destination.) The downsides of Boulder for us were that it was such a college town, and also that we found out the cost of living was pretty steep. Which makes it a great place to visit but probably not a place to ever move to. The accessibility of everything was definitely nice; bike lanes everywhere, and even a paved walking/biking trail that led from the center of town right up into the mountains. A definite plus coming from California where everything requires driving.

Some of the boulder highlights were the Mediterranean Restaurant, Mountain Sun Brewery, Avery Brewing, and the Boulder Draft House. A couple places that were great but I think maybe a bit overrated were Walnut Brewery and Jax Fish House (overpriced).

While in Boulder, someone clued us in on the Frozen Dead Guy Days Festival that was going on in Nederland, so Sunday morning we checked out and headed up into the mountains. We didn't actually see any of the festival, but we did get a pretty good idea of what it was like based on the general level of debauchery going on in town. We had a few beers and some ribs at Wild Mountain Brewery, and then went north to Estes Park. Estes Park was gorgeous, but the brewery there was definiately not worth the drive. But the scenery and the wildlife sightings near the entrance of Rocky Mountain Natinal Park made it worthwhile.


Downtown Denver at Night From Estes Park our next stop was Lyons, where we hit Oskar Blues Brewery. We loved that place and it was everything we expected. So after a late lunch and a couple beers, we hit the road again for Fort Collins. We knew nothing about Fort Collins, but after driving around for a couple of minutes, we quickly found our bearing and got a nice room at the Armstrong Hotel. I would have loved to spend more time in this small city, but due to our impending departure from Denver the following day, we wanted to get down to Denver and have a little fun there before flying out. One of the reasons we wanted to go to Fort Collins was to check out the New Belguim Brewery, as I have heard many good things about the way they run their business, especially from an environmental standpoint. But as it turned out, we planned our trip there on Monday, which was the day they were closed to the public. But we did get to check out CooperSmith's Brewery, Fort Collins Brewery (which we were pleasantly surprised by due to how small they are), and Odells Brewing. But alas, we couldn't linger because Denver was calling.

Denver was a little stressful to arrive in after spending the last few days in smaller cities and on the open roads, but after only a little bit of confusion, we found ourselves at the the Jet Hotel downtown. It was nicer than we were looking for, but with night closing in we were getting frustrated and as it turns out the rate was better than expected and the location was great.

We made it out to dinner that night, and also to the Falling Rock Tap House. The following day we finished up our beer tour by hitting Great Divide and then Old Chicago for a late lunch before heading to the airport for our flight home. All in all it was a wonderful trip. It sounds like we drank too much, but we were mostly sampling, which is how we were able to fit so much in. And as for Colorado, I really liked how easy it was to move around between the cities and see so much in such a short time frame.

Click here to see more photos

Labels: colorado, time off, travel, vacation

Main plaza in Tecate MexicoToday we decided to take a day trip down to Tecate, Mexico. Though it is a border city, it is a much smaller and better representation of Mexico than Tijuana. It's also within an hour of San Diego. I had been once before, but today I went down with my girlfriend. We drove to the border, parked, walked across, and within 15 minutes we were sitting in the central plaza sipping beers and eating chips.

Prior to my first trip there, I had heard that it was a nice place to visit, but I wanted to check it out for myself. At the time I couldn't find much consistent information about it online, but if you're interested in visiting, it's a simple day trip. No border lines, no stress, and not even much walking.

As it turns out, you can park on the US side, there are side roads where it is fine to just pull over on the side and park for free. As you approach the border, turn left (east), and you will where there are other cars parked, just pull up and make sure you're off the road. The border is less than a 5 minute walk, and once you enter Mexico, just go straight for a few blocks and you will see the main plaza. It seems that this is where most things happen, as the park is filled with locals just relaxing. Today, a Sunday afternoon, there were very few tourists.

It's a great day trip, there is very little stress involved, and crossing the border is about as easy as it gets.

It doesn't seem that there is much to do in Tecate other than hang out in the plaza, but isn't that ok?


Related Links:
Memorial Day Weekend in Punto San Jacinto, Mexico

Labels: mexico, San Diego, travel

A few hours south of the US/Mexico borderThe place we were to be going in Mexico was called Punto San Jacinto,and it's located on the Pacific coast, and if I recall it is somewhere around 150 miles south of the US/Mexico border, definitely a good several hour drive. Getting there is pretty easy, you just head south towards Tijuana, cross the border, and head to the toll road going south. Once you get out of Tijuana it's a straight shot on the winding highway. There was only one checkpoint, and the fact that my girlfriend is pretty fluent with Spanish made it easy.

At the time we took this trip, the Tijuana area was getting a pretty bad rap in the news because of murders and kidnappings, but we had no problems. We left after dark with the goal being a straight drive with no traffic. Everything went smoothly, all you really have to watch out for is the truckers who wind up and down the narrow highway, and the sharp turns. Not knowing where our destination actually was, we followed our friends and after a few turns from the main road, we were there. The property we were going to had no house, and it was quite desolate, with nothing around for miles with the exception of about 20 or thirty other lots, some of which had proper homes, some which just had campers or trailers. On our friends' lot they had constructed a shack with a water tank on top which was used as a makeshift bathroom, and a nice little windbreak made of corrugated tin which was quite good at doing its job, which of course is to block the wind and provide a bit of shelter The area is right on a point, and even as the temperatures inland are warming, the breeze off the Pacific down there is quite cool. We quickly set up the tent, did a couple obligatory shots of tequila, had a few beers, then went to sleep.

Read the rest and see photos here

Labels: adventure, mexico, photos, time off, travel

An excerpt on my new article about last fall's trip to Spain, Morocco, and Gibraltar:


View of Rock of Gibraltar from SpainAfter a relaxing two days in Tarifa, (well mostly relaxing, with the exception of my day trip to Tangier), I had one last day and night before an early morning flight out of Málaga. All along I had really been hoping to make it to Gibraltar, but I wasn't sure how it would work out. But of course as so often happens in travel, everything fell into place perfectly for me to make the run over into Gibraltar on my way out.

I woke up early and caught one of the first buses out of Tarifa. I am writing this a while after the trip, if I recall I think I took the wrong bus. The idea was to catch a bus going direct to La Linea de la Concepcion, but I'm pretty sure I took one going to Algeciras. But from there it was a piece of cake to get to La Linea. In Tarifa there was some confusion, because it is so small, and there is not a real bus station, so there is no one to ask for information. But it turned out to be still only a few euros for the entire trip, and maybe 45 minutes or so. La Línea de la Concepción is the small town that borders Gibraltar, so it has to be your jumping off point before the border crossing. If you are coming from Tarifa my advice is to hop online and check the bus schedules. If you are coming from Algeciras, it should be no problem, there are enough buses that run. I'm pretty sure from both Tarifa and Algeciras you can get to most nearby cities, including La Línea, Algeciras, Málaga, and I'm pretty sure even Cadiz and Sevilla too. But you will want to hop online to check that, and of course from Algeciras there will be more options.


Barbary Macaque on railing. Rock of GibraltarThe station at La Linea is small, but they have lockers which makes a quick run to Gibraltar very easy. I locked up my backpack, grabbed my daypack, and walked over to the border. It was a 5-10 minute walk, and crossing the border is simple. You just walk across, I didn't see anyone getting checked. I didn't have long enough to explore the caves at the end of the penisula, however I did want to be sure to get up and see the barbary macaques that live on the "rock", as it's called. So from the border I hopped the bus into town, which was only a Euro or two. It seems that most places in Gibraltar take both Euros and British Pounds, so don't bother exchanging money if you're only there for a day. I took the bus to where the cable car that takes you up to the top of the rock. The ticket for the cable car was a tad expensive, but as I was only there for the day I had no problem paying the 15 or so Euros.

Once at the top it is an amazing view. You can see the Atlas mountains of North Africa, and you can see much of southern Spain as well. Looking out over the Strait of Gibraltar is quite a sight. But of course the real stars of the show are the macaques that have made their home up there. It seems quite an odd place to see wild macaques, but apparently there are a few families that live up there, arriving there at some point from their native habitat in the mountains of North Africa. All the signs say to beware of them, since they are so used to people they know to associate humans with food, and I watched one try to snatch someone's water bottle. I guess they also will take your bag and run away if given the chance.

See the entire article here

Related Links:
Tangier, Morocco
Tarifa, Spain

Labels: adventure, gibraltar, photos, spain, travel

A few weeks ago I came across this video on YouTube, which I've posted below. It's a video made by a guy named Christoph Rehage from Germany who had the goal to walk from Beijing to Germany. From the looks of his blog, The Longest Way, it looks like currently he is not walking, but is at university. Also, it doesn't appear that he has completed the entire trip just yet, but walking over 4000KM is quite a feat none the less.

Here on Idealist Cafe I would like to start profiling inspirational blogs and websites, so if you have one or know of one, feel post in the comments or email me. I would love to hear about any journeys or adventures that are outside of the box and are inspirational. They don't have to necessarily be about pushing physical limits, as I am also interested in stories that create a greater connection with humanity or show what is possible if only we follow our dreams.

Enjoy the video. (If video doesn't show up, you're probably reading from a feed and need to visit the page.)

Labels: adventure, fear, inspiration, interesting, travel, unconventional living

I've put up a new page about my travels last October in Tarifa, Spain. Here is an excerpt:


View from top of hotel, looking across Strait
of Gibraltar towards Morocco, Africa and
Atlas MountainsI woke up early after a couple of days in Granada, hopped the bus to the bus station for one Euro, where I then bought a ticket to Algeciras. This is where I thought my trip would get confusing, but it turns out it went quite smoothly. I think it was about 2 hours to Algeciras, and I was a bit nervous since I'd heard that city is nothing but a port city, with a fair amount of shady characters hanging around. But as it turns out it was ok, and I was able to then get an ongoing to to Tarifa -- only a short 30 minute bus ride away. Somehow I missed the first bus, but they run every
half hour so it was ok.


Beach in Tarifa, Spain, Atlantic coastThe ride itself it quite nice, very scenic with rolling green hills and the Atlas Mountains of Morocco in the distance across the Strait of Gibraltar. I was unsure of where to get off the bus, but it seems as though you just ride it as far as it goes into town. From there you really only have 2 ways to go, away from town or towards town. If you walk back the way the bus came from you'll walk directly into the old town area. There are a few hotels outside of the old town, but I found quite a nice hotel right in the center of the old area for 20 euros per night, with shower and even a rooftop patio with views to Africa.

For the most part everything in Tarifa is within walking distance. From where I was located I was able to walk to both coasts (Mediterranean and Atlantic), quite a few bars and restaurants, the ferry terminal that has boats to Morocco, and all the surf shops that are up the road right outside of the the old town. The town itself it pretty small, it seems as though most tourists are either there for the windsurfing or to make the trip to Tangier.

I enjoyed some time on the patio of my hotel, sipped coffee at a bar for breakfast, enjoyed some tapas for dinner, and just wandered around town enjoying the sights. It was a slow and laid back town this time of year, and just relaxing and wandering the coastline and the beach was beautiful. One thing to keep in mind is that this a kite surfing mecca, and for good reason. The winds can blow quite strong on the coast, and since there is not much between the ocean and the town, it can be windy. And while the weather was pleasant, it was not warm enough to spend all day on the beach (for me at least), but the sunsets sure are nice. And it was the first and only sunset I've ever seen over the Atlantic.

And I can't forget to mention what brought me to Tarifa in the first place -- Morocco. In my opinion, there would be no reason to go to Algeciras, which is a larger and more industrial port city. Tangier is a great base city for a day trip or even an onward trip south into Morocco. The ferries run all day (see my post about Tangier for specifics), take only an hour, and the terminal is convenient from anywhere in Tarifa. And upon arrival back in Tarifa there is plenty to do, whether you are looking for food, drink, or just a place to relax.

Read more and see the photos here.

Labels: photos, spain, tarifa, travel

I just got back from my latest adventure this weekend. This one was something totally different from anything I had ever done before. A co-worker of mine had decided a while back that he was going to quit work and move back east. But he was going to ride his bike back. Immediately I liked the idea, but I wasn't ready to ride across the whole country, nor was I in a position to quit my job. So I decided that I would take one week off and ride with him.

As it turned out, we spent a few weeks training before his trip was to begin, though didn't get into the shape that we wanted. The most we had ridden was 32 miles in training, and he was hoping to average 50 a day over the course of his 3 month trip. This was perfectly manageable, considering that he would no doubt get into good enough shape pretty quickly to be able to knock out 100 miles a day. But could we do that the first week, and could I make it to Phoenix in order to get picked up?

Turns out that, yes, we could, and yes, I could.

We left San Diego at 9AM on a Saturday, and I made it into Phoenix by mid afternoon on the following Friday. It ended up being just a little of 400 miles in 7 days, for an average of 57 per day. Not bad considering ascended from sea level up to 4500 feet and back down to below sea level then back up to over 3000 feet over the course of that first week.

Obviously, as I write this I am back home, but he is still out on the road and will remain so for another couple months. All in all it was a great adventure, and one I would certainly welcome again. Which is actually ironic because after a few days I was thinking how I never wanted to get on a bike again, only to be sad to be done when I arrived in Phoenix.

I think the best parts about the trip for me were (obviously to finish, and) the ability to be so self sufficient and also to see people's reactions when they heard what I (and especially my friend) were doing. The fact that you can ride your bike for 400 (me) or 44000 miles (him) with only a few packs of gear and supplies totally breaks some people's view of the way the world works. Some were surprised, some didn't believe it, and others were blown away that such a thing was even possible. Of course there were some who were shocked, but in the same breath thought that it was the coolest thing to be able to do that. I don't live a very non-traditional life, but to be able to open other people's minds once in a while and show them the possibilities that are out there if are for their own life is a good feeling.

If you want the details, following is the breakdown day by day of what we did, and here are the maps, each destination is where we stayed for the night. The sixth day is when my friend and I split ways, he headed north, I to Phoenix.

MAP - First two days

Day 1. San Diego, CA to Alpine, CA
Day 2. Alpine, CA to Jacumba, CA

MAP - Last five days

Day 3. Jacumba, CA to Glamis, CA
Day 4. Glamis, CA to Blythe, CA
Day 5. Blythe, CA to Wickenburg, AZ
Day 6. Vicksburg, AZ to Wickenburg, AZ
Day 7. Wickenburg, AZ to Phoenix, AZ

Questions? Feel free to ask!


Related Links:
Mt Whitney in One Day

Labels: adventure, biking, green travel, travel

Thanks to Brave New Traveler for the laugh today. I got a kick out of this and as much as it seems interesting, they are probably right, I don't want to see that sign.

Hijacking Hotspot - South Africa - Road sign you do not want to see

Labels: interesting, travel

I have been pretty slow in posting the photos and write ups from my vacation last fall, and since it won't happen this weekend since I'll be in Colorado, I'll leave you with a couple photos. See Cordoba, Spain and Tangier, Morocco below!

Mezquita, Cordoba, Spain Mezquita, Cordoba, Spain View Cordoba, Spain travels

Near Petit Socco in Medina, Tangier, Morocco Near Petit Socco in Medina, Tangier, Morocco View Tangier, Morocco travels

Related Links:
Tangier, Morocco
Cordoba, Spain
All Travels

Labels: cordoba, morocco, photos, spain, tangier, travel, vacation

I am leaving in the morning for Colorado. No, I don't snowboard or ski. I'm going with my girlfriend just for fun, we want to check out Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and basically just see what the area has to offer in case we ever want to relocate.

Though it will be hard leaving sunny San Diego for the cold Rocky Mountains, it should be a refreshing change, and hopefully it will be a good time.

Check back to my travel section soon for a write up and some photos. I'll be back next week.

Labels: colorado, travel, vacation

I have recently posted some photos (here, here, and here) I took of graffiti while in Spain (which seem to be very popular according to Google Images), so here is yet another. This one was taken in Tarifa, Spain, which is at the southern tip of the country. From the location where this photo was taken, you can see Morocco and Africa in the distance across the Strait of Gibraltar, and to the west is the Atlantic Ocean, and to the east is Mediterranean. The graffiti isn't what makes this picture for me, it is really the location that makes this one special. Both of these photos were taken around the same time, but with different camera settings.

See more photos of Tarifa here

Graffiti, Tarifa, Spain - looking towards Morocco

Graffiti, Tarifa, Spain - looking towards Morocco

Graffiti, Tarifa, Spain - taken in sunset mode

Graffiti, Tarifa, Spain - taken in sunset mode
See more photos of Tarifa here

You may be interested in travel related shopping.

Related Links:
Tarifa, Spain
Tangier, Morocco
A day trip to Gibraltar
More graffiti pics
Ocean Beach Graffiti, San Diego, California

Labels: graffiti, photos, spain, tarifa, travel

I just finished adding a page about my travels in Granada, Spain. Here is an excerpt:


View from hotel looking up to la AlhambraGranada is a great city, and there is plenty to see and do there. Of course visiting la Alhambra is necessary, but there is quite a bit of other sightseeing to do as well. I was able to see pretty much la Alhambra in its entirety in one day, but it involved a lot of walking. If you are willing to walk it is even accessible by foot from the city. From the main plaza in town you can just walk up the hill for probably 20 minutes or so and you are there. I did learn that it is easiest to buy tickets for entry online, otherwise you have to wait in line and you risk the possibility of not even getting in, since they limit the number of tickets per day. I arrived mid morning, waiting in line for probably 45 minutes, but still had plenty of time."


View from hotel looking up to la AlhambraOnce you are done with la Alhambra, you can get to eating, drinking, and people watching. There are great kebab and showarma shops, and most bars serve free tapas with each drink that you order. If you're into people watching, it appears that Granada is quite a bohemian city, at least by my western standards. I saw a lot of hippie-ish looking people, which was quite interesting against the Moorish and Moroccan backdrop which seemed prevalent in the city. All in all, it was quite a fun time, and I would certainly like to go back at some point.

Read more here.

You may be interested in travel shopping.

Related Links:
Granada Photos

Labels: granada, photos, spain, travel

Excerpt from my travel section about my day trip to Tangier, Morocco from Spain:





Medina stalls in Tangier, Morocco
During my trip to Spain, one of the things that I wanted to do was a day trip to Morocco. I had really wanted to make a few days of it and head to Rabat and Marrakesh, but I didn't have the time so I stuck with the day trip. I had also heard good things about Tarifa, Spain, so after my stay in Granada I went to Tarifa where I was able to get a fast ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar into Tangier. The other option was to go to Algeciras, Spain, and take the ferry from there, but apparently there's not much to see there which is what made me pick Tarifa.


Prior to my trip I found a lot of confusing information about the trip to Tangier, but I will say that it is a piece of cake. From Tarifa it was about 60 Euros for a round trip ticket. You simply walk into the terminal and buy your ticket and you're on the next boat to Africa! There is only one terminal, and one boat which leaves hourly if I remember correctly. Keep in mind that there is a one or two hour time difference between the two countries, and also try to get an early start so you don't find yourself in Tangier after dark. Make sure you have your passport, and prepare for some serious culture shock. On the boat you can get your entry stamp in your passport which allows you to walk right off the boat and into the city. Some people seemed to say not to do it on the boat, but I did and I was able to get right off and go on my way -- in fact it looked like people who hadn't gotten their passport stamped on the boat were turned around and had to go back and get one.



View of Tangier, Morocco entering ferry terminalThere are official guides right at the port who are supposedly licensed to give tours, if that's your thing, I would recommend going with one of them, otherwise prepare to be bombarded by locals who want to sell you things and give you "official" tours. With a prepared head and some self confidence I walked right by the guides and headed right into the medina. But that didn't last long, as I soon saw how skilled these people are at making you second guess yourself. In retrospect I should have stuck with my instincts, but being a newbie in the city and trying to find my way around while having these touts tell me I wouldn't be safe and would only find my way with their help, my confidence was lowered and I "accidentally" ended up with someone showing me around. Of course, after 10 minutes he tried to charge me an arm and a leg and threatened me. I promptly gave him the equivalent of about 2 euros -- about 80% less than he wanted -- and quickly lost him.


If I went again, I probably would do the same thing, with the exception of letting myself get suckered by the touts. Other than that one incident I had no problem with feeling unsafe, in fact after I lost him I soon befriended a few day trippers from Mexico and we had a great afternoon. I then spent the last hour alone again, and had no problems. The locals are very adept at finding people straight off the ferry who have yet to find their bearings. If you can get through that you should really be able to enjoy your trip. Even if you don't know where you are, pretend that you do and whatever you do, don't tell anyone it's your first trip to Tangier!


In an afternoon there isn't a whole lot to do other than wander around, laugh a little, and maybe try your hand at bargaining. Just remember that these people making their living doing what they do, and don't feel pressured. Also, even
though you will probably feel lost, trust your intuition because you most likely won't get lost. You may temporarily lose your bearings, but most roads and alleys lead to someone where you can catch your bearings.


Some highlights for me where getting lost in the medina, having lunch in the Petit Socco with my new friends, the Grand Socco, the Kasbah, and heading further away from the medina where I was able to catch a look at the "real" Tangier that most day trippers don't see.



Read the entire post and see the photos here


Related Links:
My Travels
Morocco Travel Photos

Labels: morocco, photos, tangier, travel

Santa Fe Depot, Amtrak, San Diego

Santa Fe Depot, Amtrak, San Diego
I meant to write this article a few weeks ago, around the year anniversary of my cross country Amtrak train trip, but it sort of slipped my mind and the holidays kept me busy. I had almost forgotten about this trip, but then was remembering as the holidays were approaching, and figured it would be a nice trip to document here. Most people I knew at work thought I was crazy to take a trip like this, but I had a good time and would still do it again, though making a few changes.

The trip was by Amtrak, and originated in San Diego (Santa Fe Depot) with the final destination being New York City. I took the Pacific Surfliner from San Diego to Los Angeles, then the from LA to Chicago, and finally the Lake Shore Limited from Chicago to Penn Station in New York City. To make it even more interesting, I declined a ride to the train station from my beach apartment and instead opted to take the city bus instead. I also opted for the Metro North from Grand Central to Stratford, where I was picked up by my mom and grandparents.

It was quite a trip, approximately 42 hours to Chicago, then another 20 or so to New York, and when you add in a 4 hour layover in Chicago and the 2 hour journey up to Los Angeles, plus the transportation on each end, it took about three and a half days. Not to mention the train was about 4 hours late arriving into New York putting me there close to midnight, which foiled my plan to visit Rockefeller Center and see the holiday festivities and made it more urgent to catch a late train to Connecticut where I was getting picked up.

The one way Amtrak ticket itself was pretty cheap, about $180 dollars, which combined with a one way plane ticket back to San Diego put me probably a bit cheaper than standard holiday round trip airfare. Keep in mind that this was a coach seat, so I had no bed or shower. Beds and rooms can be obtained, but then the price increases dramatically. I can say for sure that the train is FAR more comfortable than an airplane, even in coach there is plenty of room, and you can bring pretty much as much luggage as you want. The obvious down sides to a trip like this are the lack of suitable food, the lack of a bed, the lack of cleaning amenities, and the obvious fact that you have to sit for so long. Though wandering the train and spending hours away from your seat was possible and actually appeared to be fairly normal.

The only things that I would do differently were I to do it again would be to pack my own food and bring more in the way of entertainment. There is so much space for personal storage that this would not be a problem, and had I known how bad the food would be in the cafe car, I would have done this.

A couple things to note. If you are in coach you have no access to anything more than a bathroom barely large enough to stand in. I started the trip taking bird baths every few hours or so and changing my cloths, but after a day this became futile and I accepted that in the recycled train air I would end up grimy and stinky regardless of how often I cleaned, so I just accepted my dirtiness and began taking pride in the fact that I didn't shower for over four days. Also, on the older trains there is a serious lack of plugs to plug appliances into. The newer train from San Diego to Los Angeles has one in each seat, but the older long haul trains don't. They are scattered though the coach car so you need to ask your neighbors, or you can fight for the couple that are in the cafe or lounge cars. A train trip might be better suited for reading and journaling than using a laptop or other device that needs electricity.

In Chicago the layover was enough time for me to get to the Sears tower, down to the river and Michigan Ave where I wandered for a while, and I even had time to grab a bite to eat and a beer. If you are a smoker there are some stops where the train stops for 10 minutes and give you time to get off. Just ask the attendants how long the stop will be and they will tell you if you have time or not.

Any other questions about a trip like this, just post a comment and I will do my best to reply. Was this article useful? Leave a comment!

Related Links:

Cross Country Amtrak Trip and Photos

Labels: amtrak, green travel, public transportation, trains, travel, United States

I have been meaning to post this since I got back from Spain. To the right is a picture of what I packed, and actually there are quite a few things that I didn't end up using, some I would bring again since they were precautionary, but others I would scrap.

I actually only wore 2 or 3 different shirts the whole time, so I could have not brought one or two that I never wore. Also, brought two pairs of shoes, one "nice" pair of Sketchers in case I was out for dinner, and a pair of running sneakers. Only wore the sneakers, so I could have scrapped the other pair. I only read one of the books that I brought, so the others (not the guides) were overkill. The Lonely Planet guides were essential for me though. I also didn't use the quick drying towel or the lock that I brought. Those two things I would probably pack again though since they take up such little room. The other stuff I could have gone without, though on a different trip they may have been useful.

As for budget, my plane fare was around $1000 to fly from San Diego to Barcelona, and then Malaga to San Diego. Not great but also not bad. Expenses while in Spain totaled about $1200 for the 10 days, and this is after the exchange rate. This includes everything including hotel, food, drink, transportation, obligatory gifts, and incidentals. I wasn't trying to go on the cheap, but I also didn't want to go 5 star, so I am happy. While I was there the exchange rate was hovering between 68 to 72 cents to 1 Euro, so I spent approximately 850 Euros. This means I was well under 100 Euros per day, which makes me happy. And if I take out the transportation it drops to about 80 Euros per day. I am proud to say that I never took a cab and I really utilized the public transportation. I realize this total is a lot if you are a budget traveler, but also considering that it's Europe and how the economy is doing, I feel that I was right around where I hoped to be, as the same trip could have cost a LOT more.

If I break it down further, I spent an average of 40 euros (~$58 USD) per day on hotel, and this is actually skewed high because of the cost in Barcelona. Which then means I was spending about another 40 euros per day on food, drink, and local transportation. This actually breaks down quite nicely, since some days I was having only one cheap meal with a beer or two, and others I was spending a bit more to enjoy myself. Then add in coffee and probably a grand total of $150 on random gifts to bring home for the family, and there you have it. A great 10 days in Spain on an average budget which could be increased for more luxury or decreased to fix a shoestring budget.


Related Links:
Barcelona to Cordoba by Train
Barcelona, Spain
Graffiti, Barcelona, Spain
Graffiti, Granada, Spain

Labels: budget, packing, spain, travel

Cat in patio looking at me in Cordoba, SpainI have added another entry and some more photos from my Spain trip to my travel section. This one is about the train from Barcelona to Cordoba, and about Cordoba in general. If you are looking for information about getting from Barcelona to Cordoba, it is an excellent resource.

Here is an excerpt:
Despite the fact that my overnight train to Cordoba ended up being nearly four hours late and really messed with my ability to get a decent night's sleep, it worked out well to arrive late. Arriving earlier would have made it difficult to find a room, as no one would have been checked out from the previous night yet. Upon arrival, I took a local bus which dropped me in the center of town. Using my Lonely Planet Spain guide , I found a room at a placed called Hostal Maestre for 30 euros per night. The room was small but it had a toilet and shower and was all I needed. Don't be confused, the Lonely Planet guide reviews the hotel, but actually the hotel is more expensive and it's the hostal next door where I stayed. Not a youth hostel, but just a no frills version of the hotel.


Alcazar Gardens, Cordoba, SpainAs it turns out, I really liked Cordoba. In the center of the old part of town is Cordoba's Mezquita, the world famous Unesco Heritage Site, which was quite impressive. Though it is touristy, it is certainly worth the 8 (or 10, I can't remember) euros to go inside and see the impressive arches and interior. Also impressive are the Gardens in the Alcazar nearby. Once again, you have to pay to go in, but it is worth it.

It seems the majority of the tourist action surrounds the Mezquita, but if you head north you will find yourself in the a more modern part of the city. Aside from the few touristy things, I mainly just wandered around, spent some time enjoying tapas, beer, and coffee, hung out in the internet cafe at the youth hostel that I found, and really enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere in comparison to Barcelona, the tiny meandering streets, and the beautiful patios and courtyards that where everything I had heard about.

Read the entire thing here


Related Links:
My travels
Barcelona

Labels: cordoba, spain, travel

Plaza Catalunya at night from hotel balcony

Plaça Catalunya at night from hotel balcony
I have added a page with a few of my notes and photos from my recent stay in Barcelona. Here is an excerpt:

I arrived in Barcelona, Spain at around 11AM. Upon arrival, I went outside the airport and took the A1 bus which dropped me right in the heart of the city at Plaça Catalunya where my hotel was located. I stayed at a place called Hotel Ginebra, which according to Trip Advisor was a fairly budget hotel for its location. Read More...

Also, while there, when I was wandering around Plaça Catalunya I caught a street performance by a pretty good band called Barrio Candela. If was some cool music, sort of funky, reggae, Latin, etc. Check them out below.

Labels: barcelona, spain, travel

Sorry for the prolonged silence here. I had an amazing two weeks in Spain and Morocco. Check back for a some pictures and some details from the trip.

Labels: backpacking, morocco, spain, travel

After another episode of seeing airport security take a brand new unsealed bottle of water and throw it in the trash, I was livid. Not only at the sheer ridiculousness of what they do and why they do it, but also my assumption that none of it is recycled. A quick google search led me to find others who agree with me.

First of all, throwing out an unopened bottle of water isn't protecting anyone. Ok, so maybe I understand the logic if it's already open, but if the seal is unbroken it just defies logic. And then to throw it straight into the trash is absurd. Not only is it crazy, but it also is environmentally unfriendly in two ways. 1) It could easily be recycled, but from the sounds of it it goes straight to the landfill and 2) what a waste of water! In an age where we are more environmentally friendly why should any government sponsored agency be throwing water and plastic straight into a landfill.

Moving on, I also was thinking about how they could/should take all those other products that can't be taken through security, and "recycle" those. They could be used at homeless shelters or even be the basis for a little for profit company which resells or donates unopened toiletries and other "illegal" items.

Labels: airport security, recycling, travel, tsa