Explore our journeys through vivid travel memories and stories.
2025 didn’t unfold like a classic “travel year.” It was a year of packed suitcases, family responsibility, and long-haul miles, where joy and worry often sat side by side. We crossed continents several times—sometimes for adventure, sometimes because life demanded it. Our 2025 timeline (the way it really happened) January 2025: Back to the Philippines …
Flying back to the Philippines from Europe is never a quick hop. Even on a “good” day, it’s a marathon of terminals, time zones, and that strange in-between state where your body is in Munich but your mind is already sweating somewhere near the equator. Add my 82‑year‑old mother to the equation—frail, exhausted, and not …
When Travel Means More Than Adventure Most people travel for fun, for the thrill of discovering new places, or to reunite with old friends. But when I boarded a train to Poland in late summer of 1989, I wasn’t just another tourist. I was 20 years old, full of restless energy and hope, and I …
There aren’t many dates that everyone remembers exactly where they were or what they were doing. But September 11, 2001? That’s one of those days. This year marks the 24th anniversary of that tragic event, and like everyone else, I have my own memories. No stress, no worries. Well, actually… On 9/11, I was as …
Note: This article recounts an experience from September 2001—24 years ago. Back in September 2001, I found myself on Tetiaroa for the fifth time. By then, my annual visits had made me something of a regular—enough that I’d gotten to know a member of the Brando family, I call him here Tama. We’d fish together, …
From the Archives: Australia 2002 The story below is an excerpt from my handwritten daily diaries, which I scribbled during my first adventure across Australia from October to December 2002. Group tours, outback sunsets, and plenty of drama—some things never change! New Faces, Old Drama It’s day 46 of my Sydney-to-Sydney adventure, and our little …
Travel has a way of surprising us—sometimes with breathtaking sights, other times with unforgettable encounters. My story from May 1996 is one such memory, a moment that stayed with me long after the plane touched down. The Young Polynesian Girl and Her First Flight It all started at Faa’a Airport in Tahiti. The manager of …
Between 1991 and 1994, I traveled to Sri Lanka three times. When you travel solo, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll meet locals. On my second trip, I somehow found myself promoted to the role of prospective son-in-law. Caught in the Rain—and the Family Web One day, as I was taking a walk, I got caught …
Let’s be honest: I’m a tropical soul. I love palm trees, balmy nights, and the smell of salt in the air. But there’s another place that managed to capture my heart and, in a way, delayed a long-cherished dream for three whole decades: Nepal and the Himalayas. Strange as it sounds, my so-called substitute for …
After weeks on the road, it’s time to look back and ask: Was it worth it? What stuck with me the most? Our Vietnam and Cambodia trip was full of contrasts—ancient temples, bustling cities, tranquil landscapes, and a few unexpected aches and pains. But if I had to pick a place that left the deepest …