A Nation in Recline

August 16, 2011

Reclining chairs have been a major contributor in the downfall of our great nation.  Not only do they administer coma-inducing comfort that makes being anywhere else (for example, on your feet) a negative experience, they make us feel thinner than we are.  Ever wonder where your belly goes when you fully recline?  Feeling good about [...]

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30 Days in Beijing

August 4, 2011

I have found that after the first 30 days in a new country I am always surprised how little I have learned but oddly have great optimism that my ignorance will not be forever.  It appears I must be forced to admit I know nothing at all before I can truly learn–this 30-day stage requires [...]

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Expat Health Insurance

July 25, 2011

Note:  My friends over at Nomadtopia asked if I would chime in to their discussion about what we have done for health insurance during our time abroad.    My response follows and a link to the entire discussion can be found at the bottom of this post. Since I have been a married self-employed American [...]

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I Hate Traveling

July 7, 2011

Over the past seven months I have spent time in Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos and China.  It has been a difficult period for someone who hates traveling and who is, in fact, a very poor traveler. I don´t like crowds, I don´t like lines and I most certainly do not enjoy undressing for the friendly [...]

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Catching Up with Friends and Family in Laos

June 9, 2011

Though Laos is famous for its natural beauty, ancient temples and peaceful villages, that was apparently not enough to put it onto a regular tourist route. Halfway between the quaint former capital of Luang Prabang and the current capital of Vientiane, there is a small village on a lovely stretch of river with stunning views [...]

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Air Where?

June 1, 2011

We are spending a few weeks in Laos. I knew nothing about Laos except what I learned from the 1990 movie featuring Mel Gibson (before he went nuts) and Robert Downey Jr. (between his 2nd and 3rd relapse) called Air America. Air America is a comedy about pilots who worked for an ¨airline¨ that was [...]

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The Problem with a $6 Room

May 21, 2011

Things are inexpensive in northern Thailand.  One can get a bowl of tasty noodles for $1, a fresh fruit smoothie for $1.25, an hour massage for $4 and in some cases, a hotel room for $5. Since I am traveling with someone who deserves a certain level of comfort, I opted for the more luxurious [...]

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Are We There Yet?

April 19, 2011

We found ourselves in Japan between gigs and needing to kill 4 months so had the perfect excuse to spend time in SE Asia.  Tickets to the US would have cost more than our living expenses in SE Asia so in addition to fun and food we had financial justification for the adventure. My first [...]

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Feet First Into a Virtual Void

March 17, 2011

We have been in Chiang Mai, Thailand for the past couple of weeks.  Chiang Mai is famous for its Buddhist temples, adventure tours, cooking classes and cheap massages. An expat here recommended a particular foot massage clinic. Since it was my first foot massage I do not have adequate experience to do a proper review [...]

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Touched for the Very First Time

March 8, 2011

Though I had been able to put it off for the past several years, due to my advancing age the inevitable “procedure” stared me straight in the face and I had no choice but to give in.  The positives now outweighed the negatives.  For my health,my future, my yet-to-be conceived grandchildren I had to overcome [...]

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