by Calvin Sun | Nov 25, 2011 | Fit for Foodies, Guatemala, How Did You Do That?, November 2011: Guatemala & Belize, Public Transportation, Serendipitous!, Way Way Off the Beaten Path, What Dreams May Come
About a month ago I was still debating where I wanted to go for Thanksgiving weekend. To make a long story short, it was seeing a picture of Guatemala’s Lake Atitlan that helped me decide. Consistently rated as one of the top 2 things to see in all...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 27, 2011 | Bangladesh, Serendipitous!, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Walking Tours
Headed south today to check out the heart of what makes Bangladesh tick: Old Dhaka. Before I begin, I befriended a fellow Australian traveler named Alex at my hostel. We shared a lot of similarities in our style of traveling save for the fact Alex spends a...
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 11, 2011 | Camping, Doctor in the House, Fit for Foodies, How's the weather?, India, Let me tell you a Story..., Public Transportation, Serendipitous!, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
Last year I was confronted with a choice between Udaipur or Jaisalmer given my limited time. In the end I chose Udaipur due to warnings that Jaisalmer was way too hot this time of year (55 degrees celsius?!). I think I had chosen wisely, not only due to the...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 10, 2011 | Fit for Foodies, India, Introspection, Let me tell you a Story..., Serendipitous!, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
Last year I ate a sumptuous dinner at Indique Restaurant, while treated to gorgeous views of Meherangar Fort in Jodhpur. The problem was, I was alone: Last year’s dinner So I promised the next time I would be back, I wouldn’t be alone. And...
by Calvin Sun | Jun 28, 2011 | Community Service, Fit for Foodies, Nepal, Serendipitous!, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
Before I post up my entry on Everest, I should mention our unexpected detour to Hindu Vidyapeeth (HVP) last night. HVP is a non-profit educational trust that enrolls Nepalese children from regions as far as Myanmar and provides them a quality education and prepares...
by Calvin Sun | Jun 24, 2011 | How's the weather?, Nepal, Serendipitous!, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
Last February I talked to a girl named Sadikchya Malla for 5 minutes at a conference. Now she’s my personal tour guide in her native Kathmandu. I sought her out after remembering how she was born and raised in Kathmandu before coming to study at Syracuse...
by Calvin Sun | Jun 22, 2011 | Jordan, Lessons Learned, Let me tell you a Story..., Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Mythbusters, Serendipitous!, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Syria, Travel Warnings, United Arab Emirates
Syria: Not gonna happen. They’re not gonna let visa-less Americans through the border, and they won’t be issuing any new visas at the embassy for a few weeks. I tried. I failed. Wop Wop. Maybe next time. I ended up stopping by a protest, however, while on...
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...
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