by Calvin Sun | Jul 24, 2011 | Blitzkrieg!!!, Colombia, How Did You Do That?, Sri Lanka, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, What Dreams May Come
Not quite what I meant. This is more like it: Sigiriya just got served. Today we attempted to hit 3 out of 4 of the cultural triangle “greats”: Dambulla – for its cave temples Sigiriya – for its foreboding magma rock from an extinct volcano....
by Stephanie Quan | Jul 23, 2011 | Sri Lanka, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
…is really pretty. That’s all. Please look at Calvin’s photos below for proof. Okay I need to expound a little. The landscape here looks untouched. The greens and yellows are vibrant. The red clay provides a great contrast. The skies are just the...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 22, 2011 | How Did You Do That?, How's the weather?, Let me tell you a Story..., Public Transportation, Sri Lanka, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Walking Tours
Today we took a lazy early afternoon bus from Colombo to Kandy (121 Sri Lankan rupees), which although advertised to be 2.5 hours, actually took 4 hours. It was pretty uneventful, given that by now we’re very used to cramped seats, smog, traffic, and open...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 21, 2011 | Introspection, Let me tell you a Story..., Sri Lanka, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Travel Warnings, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
He seemed stern at first. Upright posture, concentrating on the world around him without giving too much away. He is a special forces commando from the Sri Lankan military. “We’re not allowed to talk about what we do, not even to our wives.” I...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 20, 2011 | Epiphanies on the Road, India, Introspection, Lessons Learned, Let me tell you a Story..., Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Serendipitous!, Sri Lanka, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, The Nightlife
My last few hours in one of my favorite countries has been a riot. It seems fitting that India wouldn’t let me down. Stephanie and I booked a flight out from Chennai to Sri Lanka at 10am the next morning, while Karen was flying out of Chennai to Kochin around...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 19, 2011 | Crisis, India, Let me tell you a Story..., Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Travel Warnings
Madurai at night. Back on the road: literally hit the ground running. Before beginning, we treat ourselves to free access to Amex Platinum’s Lounge Stephanie, having no interest in seeing Madurai, stayed behind Mumbai an extra few hours...
by Stephanie Quan | Jul 19, 2011 | India, Let me tell you a Story..., Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
In an attempt to slow down, I decided to skip out on Calvin and Karen’s Madurai adventure. Instead, I took a flight yesterday to Chennai and then a bus to Pondicherry. Woke up in Pondicherry this morning to a blackout. With no internet and no way to contact...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 17, 2011 | Crisis, India, Introspection, Mythbusters, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
Back when I toured the refugee camps of Palestine and Tibet, I pondered the difference between the use of the words “slum” and “refugee camp.” I was told today that in India, the official definition of “slum” is where the land is...
by Stephanie Quan | Jul 16, 2011 | Epiphanies on the Road, India, Introspection, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
As a tourist (or traveler, a term Calvin prefers), we enter each city, see its sights, eat at the restaurants, and try to form a impression. This view, while vast geographically, is inherently shallow. Furthermore, up to this point in my travels, it has somewhat...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 15, 2011 | India, Introspection, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, The Nightlife, Travel Warnings
Mumbai: just the way I left it. It’s been a day since 3 bombs killed 20+ people in 3 heavily populated areas of the center city, and Mumbaikars carry on as usual. The only noticeable signs of the attacks are the tan-clothes police officers stationed every...
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