On my recent trip with Overseas Adventure Travel, Mongolia and the Gobi Desert, one absolute highlight was staying for nine nights – three nights each – in three different ger camps. One was a couple of hours drive outside of the capitol city of Ulaanbaatar, one was on a serene and azure lake, and oneContinue reading “Staying at Ger Camps in Mongolia”
Category Archives: Asia
Hiking in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert
On my recent trip to Mongolia and the Gobi Desert with Overseas Adventure Travel, one day scored high on the wow scale, and there were many terrific days. The day was packed with two hikes due to rain the prior day. The first hike in the Gobi Desert was in the hilly and fauna filledContinue reading “Hiking in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert”
Learning About Mongolian Culture by Playing the Ankle Bones Game
Mongolia is a country that will challenge a traveler on every level. Creature comforts, the unforgiving weather, the culture, and even the history and the local food will not be like anything a traveler has thus far experienced outside of Central Asia. But oh, how mighty and rich are the experiences when you leave yourContinue reading “Learning About Mongolian Culture by Playing the Ankle Bones Game”
Learning About Mongolia’s Horse Head Fiddle
Pianist Herbie Hancock once said that music is an art form that transcends language. As a former guitarist for over a decade I learned this on my first trip to Europe as a teenager one August, when I picked up my guitar and sang for over a hundred fellow students under skies that were aglowContinue reading “Learning About Mongolia’s Horse Head Fiddle”
Exploring the Surprises of Ulaanbaatar
“Don’t go to a museum with a destination. Museums are wormholes to other worlds. They are ecstasy machines. Follow your eyes wherever they lead you…and the world should begin to change for you.” – Jerry Saltz When I visited Mongolia with Overseas Adventure Travel on their trip Mongolia and the Gobi Desert, one pleasantly surprisingContinue reading “Exploring the Surprises of Ulaanbaatar”
Yearning to Return to Sri Lanka: Five Reasons Why
“Sri Lanka is an island that everyone loves at some level inside themselves. A very special island that travelers, from Sinbad to Marco Polo, dreamed about. A place where the contours of the land itself forms a kind of sinewy poetry.” Romesh Gunesekara I was able to explore the magnificent island nation of Sri LankaContinue reading “Yearning to Return to Sri Lanka: Five Reasons Why”
Celebrating Cultural Holidays While Traveling
“Spring is far more than just a changing of seasons; it’s a rebirth of the spirit.” —Toni Sorenson Travel always allows me to have a renewed spirit. But the two-month trip I took to India, Sri Lanka and Nepal enabled me to celebrate literally every culture’s spring holiday, in some of cases all at once.Continue reading “Celebrating Cultural Holidays While Traveling”
Rolling Down the River in Nepal
Water is an eternal symbol of life, and every time I take a trip where I am comfortably on a boat or water vessel as part of the other travel activities, I truly feel like I’m living. Although I booked the Overseas Adventure Travel trip Nepal and the Mystical Himalayas knowing white water rafting wasContinue reading “Rolling Down the River in Nepal”
Exploring India and Culturally Complex Punjab
I was a soul in need of wanderlust, seriously seeking out unstructured travel yet wanting to combine a trip with a tour to enjoy the best of both worlds when I decided to go to Southern Asia. I traveled for two months and explored two different areas of South Central India, three weeks in SriContinue reading “Exploring India and Culturally Complex Punjab”
Exploring Kathmandu
I recently took the Overseas Adventure Travel trip, Nepal and the Mystical Himalayas, and had the opportunity to spend a full week in Kathmandu. It’s an experience nobody should miss. Anyone planning a trip like this would do themselves a favor by arriving a few days early to see all seven UNESCO world heritage sitesContinue reading “Exploring Kathmandu”
Exploring New Delhi with an Extra Day to Spare
I took the Overseas Adventure Travel trip Nepal and the Mystical Himalayas, as well as the post trip to Northern India. My day in New Delhi before we left for the cities of Amritsar and Dharamsala on the post trip was the kind of day travel was made for. At least for me, since myContinue reading “Exploring New Delhi with an Extra Day to Spare”
Exploring Nature and Villages in Himalayan Nepal
When I traveled with Overseas Adventure Travel on their trip Nepal and the Mystical Himalayas, we had three terrific days trekking in the foothills of the Annapurna region of the Himalayas. But before we did that however, we were treated to one or two flyovers of the Himalayas themselves: Mt Everest, Annapurna Base Camp, orContinue reading “Exploring Nature and Villages in Himalayan Nepal”
Meeting a Living Goddess in Nepal
My trip to Nepal with Overseas Adventure Travel, Nepal and the Mystical Himalayas, had many fascinating surprises. I also took the Northern India post trip, which added to the allure of what we saw and experienced. Aside from meeting in India reincarnated monks and fornicating monkeys, we met a living goddess in Patan, Nepal. IContinue reading “Meeting a Living Goddess in Nepal”
Exploring the Crazy (and Floral) Uniqueness of Da Lat, Vietnam
A visit to Da Lat, Vietnam is a unique experience compared to rest of the country. I traveled to Vietnam with Overseas Adventure Travel on their tour Inside Vietnam, and Da Lat was a stand-out. This impression was due to a combination of factors, not the least of which was that it was relatively unscathedContinue reading “Exploring the Crazy (and Floral) Uniqueness of Da Lat, Vietnam”
Mixing and Matching Travel Resources in Asia
I always said I would not write an article about how I effectively combine hotel and airlines points to create great trips. I figured that if I did, the travel industry would change how they do things to make it much more difficult. Well, they have started making things difficult anyway, so I figured thereContinue reading “Mixing and Matching Travel Resources in Asia”
Visit South Korea and Tour the DMZ in the North
A trip to South Korea is an exquisite experience, filled with cherry blossoms, grand palaces, handicraft streets and whole handicraft villages, as well as an amazing if not somewhat creepy availability to the DMZ of North Korea just an hour outside of Seoul. And a visit to the North Korean Demilitarized zone is indeed worth the effort. No dramatic changing of theContinue reading “Visit South Korea and Tour the DMZ in the North”
Visit Kuala Lampur and see the Petronas Towers
One of the most interesting things to observe and explore on any trip are the landmarks. Some are unmistakable, some are magical, and some make it in movies and become the hallmark of the film. Kuala Lampur’s Petronas Towers are all three in one. They are one of the first things you see when you enterContinue reading “Visit Kuala Lampur and see the Petronas Towers”
Visit Nikko, Japan to Hear, See and Speak No Evil
The Japanese flock to Nikko, Japan especially on weekends. Yet very few American tours do. If planning a trip to Japan, this might just be the highlight of your trip, in an already extraordinary country. Nikko is less than two hours outside of Tokyo. It is at the entrance of Nikko National Park and has been aContinue reading “Visit Nikko, Japan to Hear, See and Speak No Evil”
Visit Malaysia and Feed the Elephants
In past years, elephants helped build Asia as part of a necessary transportation infrastructure. Over the years they have been abused. Many elephant orphanages and sanctuaries have sprung up in various countries to stem the abuse, but much of it still continues and only now is even recognized as abuse. In Thailand for instance, itContinue reading “Visit Malaysia and Feed the Elephants”
Visit India: An Emotional Experience Like No Other
So much has been written about travel to India it seemed there would be nothing new to write about after taking the Heart of India trip with Overseas Adventure Travel in November 2014. But India is a land of experiences. A land where the most unexpected and simple movement by a local can trigger an unforgettable memory thatContinue reading “Visit India: An Emotional Experience Like No Other”
Hanoi Above and Beyond
A trip to Hanoi, Vietnam is a journey unto itself, and one that will provide lasting memories. However, many tour groups often overlook some parts of Hanoi and surrounding areas that really delve into the nooks and crannies. There are many of course, and they are offered by many different companies. However, Vietnam Awesome Travel in the Old Quarter ofContinue reading “Hanoi Above and Beyond”
Visit the Exotic Temples of Khajuraho
India is perhaps better known for its temples and monuments than any other country in the world. While traveling with Overseas Adventure Travel on the Heart of India trip, weary travelers undertook a long train ride followed by a long bus ride along dry and dusty terrain without any real understanding of what the fuss wasContinue reading “Visit the Exotic Temples of Khajuraho”
Visit Bali and See Their Sacred Spaces
Indonesia is filled with many temple complexes, and you can certainly get “templed out” if you are not careful. The major temple complexes in Java, one Hindu and one Buddhist, are among the most important temple complexes in the world. In Balithere are thousands of temples and shrines, Hindu and Buddhist alike. A visit to these monuments will likely bringContinue reading “Visit Bali and See Their Sacred Spaces”
Exploring Turkey and the Cats of Ephesus
Turkey has many magical wonders to visit, many fascinating sights to behold. One of the most mysterious however, is when visiting the ruins at Ephesus. One thing that will astonish visitors in addition the biblical history and the astounding library on the premises, are the cats! So many cats at Ephesus! What is the story behind allContinue reading “Exploring Turkey and the Cats of Ephesus”
Enjoy Bali and the Highlights of a Fire Dance
Bali is not a destination most Americans visit. In fact, the majority of English speaking foreigners there are from Australia. Americans should give this destination a second thought. On an airline like Taiwanese carrier EVA, it is easy to fly there with one change of planes, and from the West Coast there is literally noContinue reading “Enjoy Bali and the Highlights of a Fire Dance”
Visit Three Asian Markets
Visiting markets in foreign countries can be a real awakening as to how the locals live. Many open air and floating markets are fascinating and exist around the world. Some of the most fascinating can be found in developing countries, but there are certainly no limits. Here are three you might went to check outContinue reading “Visit Three Asian Markets”
Visit Vietnam’s Rice Paper Village
On a recent trip to Vietnam with Overseas Adventure Travel, this author was exposed to one of the most unique and extraordinary villages in the world, whose sole function is to produce rice paper. This village is one of the largest in the country for the creation and distribution of rice paper and rice noodles. The side tripContinue reading “Visit Vietnam’s Rice Paper Village”
Visit Vietnam and Feel the Tears of History
There is no denying that travelers can feel the tug of history when they travel. I have unknowingly felt it several times, only to realize later what it was. In Munch, Germany in 1973, I felt intimidated for some unknown reason. As it turned out, I was on a street where Hitler had given aContinue reading “Visit Vietnam and Feel the Tears of History”
Visit Southern India for a Multitude of Blessings
I was in Southern India with Overseas Adventure Travels for two weeks this year, and added an additional two weeks on my own afterwards. Their Southern India trip, Soul of India, is rich with the culture and natural beauty that typifies soulful southern India. It was truly inspiring to be in a country with such religious and ethnic diversity.Continue reading “Visit Southern India for a Multitude of Blessings”
Visit India’s Karela Backwaters for a Look at Rural Life
I was on the Overseas Adventure Travels trip to southern India called Soul of India in January this year. One of the highlights of this newly revised tip was spending two nights on a houseboat on the backwaters of the Southern state of Karela. And to use an Indian parlance that I noticed on my trip, whereContinue reading “Visit India’s Karela Backwaters for a Look at Rural Life”
Visit India during Festival Season
I was fortunate enough to visit Southern India during their festival season in January of this year. I took the trip with Overseas Adventure Travel, but added two additional weeks in India by myself. I had no idea this would allow me even more festival time to enjoy when I planned the trip, but it turned outContinue reading “Visit India during Festival Season”
Visit Southern India’s Temples and Behold the Excellency of Life in Tamil Nadu
I recently took a tour of Southern India, and one of the highlights was seeing the magnificent temples. India is known for them, and while the southern Indian temples look alike on the outside with a large base that gets steeper as the temple reaches skyward, the experience inside the temples could not have beenContinue reading “Visit Southern India’s Temples and Behold the Excellency of Life in Tamil Nadu”
Solo Travel: The Mystical, Magical, Musical Soul of India
I am the sort of person who has a smile on my face standing in the TSA line at LAX. I never underestimate that which always makes me feel this happy. Most recently, it was on the way to Singapore, as part of a 5 week solo journey which included the Overseas Adventure Travel Soul of India trip. AfterContinue reading “Solo Travel: The Mystical, Magical, Musical Soul of India”
Travel the World Against the Evil Eye
There are cultures on every continent that have amulets of good luck as part of their cultures. Pick a county and you will find a way to avoid bad luck as part of the country’s customs and history. But one country where I saw this literally everywhere and in the most colorful of ways was Turkey,Continue reading “Travel the World Against the Evil Eye”
Rethinking Genocide in Turkey as a Traveler
gen·o·cide /ˈjenəˌsīd/ the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group “a campaign of genocide” Definitions form Oxford Languages I was heartened to hear President Biden declare that nearly a century after the systematic killing of the Armenians inContinue reading “Rethinking Genocide in Turkey as a Traveler”
Finding Cultural Understanding in Unexpected Places
I had an unexpected experience while traveling independently in Asia prior to joining the Overseas Adventure Travel Heart of India trip in 2014. What started out as a breakdown of our transportation to the airport turned into an unexpected cultural exchange. My trip first started in Kuala Lumpur for one week, and from there I went toContinue reading “Finding Cultural Understanding in Unexpected Places”
Explore New Ways to Travel with Farm stays and Home stays
International travelers are being exposed to a new concept in accommodations around the world: farm stays and homestays. Put simply, this is like Air B n B with an extra twist, since the family actually engages with their guests and gets to know them, even arranging activities for them in some cases. Farm stays areContinue reading “Explore New Ways to Travel with Farm stays and Home stays”
Explore Clotheslines in Southern India
I am always fascinated by clotheslines when I travel .So intrigued in fact, that I wrote an article called Clotheslines, and as I perused my photos for trips I have taken around the world, I identified all the different types of clotheslines I had observed, and what they were used for. All of this was notContinue reading “Explore Clotheslines in Southern India”
Enjoy Pomegranate Seed Oil From Turkey
Turkey is known for many things and many kinds of wonderful foods that are typical of the Middle East and Balkan countries. They have baklava, various types of kabobs, and many wonderful teas and coffees. But a first time traveler there will be surprised to learn about a secret that is a pure joy onContinue reading “Enjoy Pomegranate Seed Oil From Turkey”
Do personal and cultural interactions make a difference in travel? Yeah, yeah, yeah….
I was on a back to back trip with Overseas AdventureTravel in October and November 2015 for nearly six weeks. This included about two weeks of solo travel as well as the organized tour. The two trips I took are among the most popular OAT offers in the area. They were Turkey’s Magical Hideaways, with eight daysContinue reading “Do personal and cultural interactions make a difference in travel? Yeah, yeah, yeah….”
Celebrate Cultural Connections: Women Preserving their Heritage
I observe when I travel. It is part of my sightseeing experience, but more often part of my post –trip reflections. I have felt the tears of history in Vietnam; observed how clotheslines can reflect how an entire society lives all over the world, and very particularly in India; and beyond doubt, how women preserveContinue reading “Celebrate Cultural Connections: Women Preserving their Heritage”
Adventures of a Passionate Solo Traveler
They say if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. That has certainly been true during some of my travels, either independently or with a group, but always traveling solo. I’ve had a number of unplanned adventures during my travels which certainly added to the experience. Some were a bit scary, but allContinue reading “Adventures of a Passionate Solo Traveler”
Exploring the Many Faces of Istanbul
I explored Istanbul with Overseas Adventure Travel on their tour Turkey’s Magical Hideaways, and some on my own after the tour of Turkey and the Mediterranean concluded. I found the Istanbul portion of the tour to be a great orientation with a focus on historical and religious sites, but certainly not all that Istanbul hasContinue reading “Exploring the Many Faces of Istanbul”
Travel the World with Passion 