by Stephanie Quan | Jun 18, 2011 | Crisis, Fail, Lebanon, Lessons Learned, Let me tell you a Story..., Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
Now that I’m in Lebanon, I can tell you about entering. Upon arriving in Beirut, I was asked to fill out the visa information. Not knowing the address of the hotel, (Calvin had made the reservations and was coming in on a later flight) I left that part blank....
by Calvin Sun | Jun 16, 2011 | Let me tell you a Story..., Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, The Nightlife, Turkey, Walking Tours, What Dreams May Come
There are very few moments in life where you stop to think, and forget to start again… We knew we only had 2 days in Istanbul, so upon our 6am arrival into the Bus Terminal (from our 12 hour overnight bus from Cappadocia) we got a little antsy as they kept us...
by Calvin Sun | Jun 14, 2011 | Fail, Fit for Foodies, How's the weather?, Let me tell you a Story..., Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Turkey
UPDATE 4 hours later: What a fail. The rain picked up so much by the time we got to the balloons that they decided to send us home. They said they would call us in 2-3 hours if they decided to start it up again but as far as I know, nothing is happening....
by Calvin Sun | Jun 13, 2011 | Crisis, Public Transportation, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Turkey
With whatever luck I get with running into people, I’m cursed when it comes to waiting for people at the airport. Yesterday as I waited outside arrivals to pick up my travel partner Stephanie, she was waiting for me to pick her up inside at baggage claims. Since...
by Calvin Sun | Jun 12, 2011 | Fail, Let me tell you a Story..., Serendipitous!, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Turkey
Before I begin my first entry of the summer, I must mention how Monsoon Diaries’ has an unexplainable inclination for serendipity, and this time, excruciating near-misses: The MOMENT I stepped off my one-way flight from NYC to Istanbul, a friend of mine was...
by Calvin Sun | Apr 3, 2011 | April 2011: Peru & Colombia, Colombia, Serendipitous!, Uncategorized Stories
What an oddly perfect way to conclude this trip. In Monsoon Diaries tradition, every excursion requires a serendipitous coincidence to round it off. And this one is no different: Kseniya and I had parted ways earlier this morning; she was to take an early flight to...
by Calvin Sun | Apr 1, 2011 | April 2011: Peru & Colombia, Colombia, Fit for Foodies, How Did You Do That?, How's the weather?, Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Public Transportation, Uncategorized Stories, What Dreams May Come
I remember watching Y Tu Mama Tambien for the very first time, when the two friends fabricate the existence of a beach in an attempt to seduce Luisa. As they travel throughout the film, they discover in fact that the beach is real, and it just so happens to be...
by Calvin Sun | Mar 31, 2011 | April 2011: Peru & Colombia, Colombia, Crisis, Fail, How Did You Do That?, Lessons Learned
So now I’m sitting in Cartagena’s airport, waiting for Kseniya. Because Kseniya booked her flights a few weeks later than I did, she was unable to get on a flight with me from Lima to Bogota. Instead, she booked a later flight; I would leave for Bogota in...
by Calvin Sun | Mar 27, 2011 | April 2011: Peru & Colombia, Doctor in the House, How Did You Do That?, How's the weather?, Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Peru, Public Transportation, Uncategorized Stories, What Dreams May Come
Nausea. Dizziness. Headaches. Fainting. Vomiting. Death. All serious complications of Altitude Sickness where Lonely Planet says: “Altitude sickness is not a joke. It doesn’t matter how fit you are; some people will get it and some people...
by Calvin Sun | Mar 27, 2011 | April 2011: Peru & Colombia, Epiphanies on the Road, Fail, How's the weather?, Peru, Uncategorized Stories
Before I know it, I’m already fast packed to another trip across the border. What’s different this time is that out of all the inhabitable continents of the world (sorry Antartica, unless global warming happens, you don’t count), only South America...
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