Introspection

Epiphanies on the Road - A collection of revelations while traveling

One Last Day in Lahore January 6, 2014 On a daily basis the media compels us to think twice about traveling to a certain place, but Pakistan is one where I wouldn’t think twice about coming back to again, simply because of the family that took me in and made me feel like I was one of them. With the weddings, outings, family functions, ...
Transatlanticism December 27, 2013 Press play. Watch. And then keep reading: I Will Possess Your Heart (Album Version) from Marteen on Vimeo. Hard to believe that just last week we were in Antarctica. As I’m nearing the final moments of a Christmas in Buenos Aires... …I head to Madrid, Spain at which ironically I had spent my Christmas Day 2 years back: After a ...
The Case For Traveling Solo? December 11, 2013 For those of you who have been following me for a long time now, you’re familiar with how I do a balance/mixture of traveling both solo and in groups. There are perks and downsides to both. When you’re in a group you tend to save more money (group discounts for transportation and lodging, 4 people sharing ...

Post-travel Reflections - The usual symptoms of post-travel withdrawal

Ghost Festival in Dali February 10, 2014 The following is the second of 4 guest posts on China by Lei Zhao, who continues to contribute to the Monsoon Diaries adventures time and time again. Lei Zhao and I have been close friends since 7th grade of middle school. Saying that we’ve been through a lot together is an understatement. And he’s probably one ...
Top 11 Experiences in Argentina December 27, 2013 I went to Argentina with my sister and our friend Eva in March. This is a list of my favorite experiences. (and why you should go!) 11. Gelato Its everywhere. Its delicious. Bring your dairy pills because you’ll want globs of it every day. 10. Graffiti/Street art Especially near La Boca, colorful graffiti covers Buenos Aires. Sometimes its on cars. ...
Mt. Starr and Manzanar September 30, 2013 Two weeks ago, my lab group did a camping trip in the Sierras. We drove up on Friday to the East Fork Campground (9000 ft). Hiked up Mt. Starr on Saturday (Class II scramble. 7 miles round trip. 12825 ft). And drove back on Sunday. On the way back, I stopped in the town of Bishop ...