by Calvin Sun | Jun 3, 2018 | How Did You Do That?, June 2018: The Persian Gulf, Oman, Rules Are Meant To Be Broken, Walking Tours, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
After overnight camping at Wahiba Sands and leaving at 8am, we drove north up to Nizwa, arriving at around 11am. The main sight and reason to come to Nizwa is for its fort, built in the 1650s by the second Ya’rub and was the administrative seat for the presiding...
by Calvin Sun | May 31, 2018 | Blitzkrieg!!!, Crisis, Fail, June 2018: The Persian Gulf, Kuwait, Layovers, Rules Are Meant To Be Broken, Serendipitous!, Walking Tours
Preface — To give you an idea what my life has been like this past month: Exactly a month ago, I was the Caribbean for a 3 day weekend in Turks & Caicos Then I returned to NYC for 4 straight night shifts in the ER (getting sick with a 103ºF fever in the...
by Calvin Sun | May 28, 2018 | Community Service, Doctor in the House, Haiti, Project Medishare, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
I fondly remember 5 years ago when I came to Haiti with 4 other monsooners as we backpacked up from the capital city of Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haitien and gazed out from one of the most beautiful fortresses of colonial America. I had a great crew to travel with...
by Calvin Sun | May 9, 2018 | Epiphanies on the Road, How Did You Do That?, Iraq, May 2018: Kurdistan Iraq, Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Rules Are Meant To Be Broken, Travel Warnings, Way Way Off the Beaten Path, What Dreams May Come
Our drive this morning into Mosul, Iraq: DISCLAIMER: Mosul is NOT a destination recommended by us at The Monsoon Diaries or any of our travel partners at Young Pioneer Tours or Kurdistan Iraq Tours. It is NOT part of any official travel itinerary for these...
by Calvin Sun | May 8, 2018 | How Did You Do That?, Iraq, May 2018: Kurdistan Iraq, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
After an hour in Lalish, we drove towards the ancient Assyrian town of Alqosh, located 50km (31 miles) north of Mosul. Here Alqosh is primarily inhabited by ethnic Assyrians of the Chaldean Catholic Church and remains one of the few places on this planet where...
by Calvin Sun | May 8, 2018 | Fit for Foodies, Iraq, May 2018: Kurdistan Iraq, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
Trying to escape the thunderstorms that were about to overtake the site of the Battle of Gaugamela, we drove north towards Lalish. After a few checkpoints we reached a quiet area up in the mountains to reach the Yazidi village. The Yazidis are a group of...
by Calvin Sun | May 8, 2018 | How Did You Do That?, How's the weather?, Iraq, May 2018: Kurdistan Iraq, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
Driving from Mar Mattai/Saint Matthew’s Monastery and closer towards the besieged city of Mosul, we reached the fabled site of the Battle of Gaugamela. Also called the Battle of Arbela, here lies one of the greatest military victories in history and the...
