by Calvin Sun | Jun 3, 2018 | June 2018: The Persian Gulf, Oman, Rules Are Meant To Be Broken, Walking Tours, What Dreams May Come
After 24 hours in Kuwait, Ann, Mihaela and I boarded our 9:05pm Oman Air flight for Muscat, landing at around 12:15am. Muscat’s new international airport is really really nice. The current fee for an Omani tourist visa on arrival is 20 Omani Rials (OMR),...
by Calvin Sun | May 29, 2018 | Epiphanies on the Road, How Did You Do That?, Introspection, What Dreams May Come
A little less than 8 years ago when this little blog called The Monsoon Diaries was first being developed, a concept of a backpacker with his pet llama was put together as our temporary logo by my college friend Brian Foo as he was designing the first version of our...
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 6, 2018 | How Did You Do That?, Iraq, May 2018: Kurdistan Iraq, Rules Are Meant To Be Broken, Serendipitous!, Travel Warnings, Way Way Off the Beaten Path, What Dreams May Come
A “helpful” friend sent me this last night, reposted from the Iraq Travel Advisory on the US Department of State website, updated January 10, 2018: Do not travel to Iraq due to terrorism and armed conflict U.S. citizens in Iraq are at high risk for...
by Calvin Sun | Mar 28, 2018 | Austria, March 2018: Central Europe Road Trip, Public Transportation, Serendipitous!, Way Way Off the Beaten Path, What Dreams May Come
I can’t really explain why my life has been so full of coincidences, (and no it’s not because it would “make sense” that extroverts would have an easier time running into other extroverts…my coincidences include the most skeptical of...
by Calvin Sun | Mar 26, 2018 | Epiphanies on the Road, Introspection, March 2018: Central Europe Road Trip, Serendipitous!, Slovakia, Walking Tours, What Dreams May Come
Since my first visit to Europe in the city of London in 1995, it would take me 13 years to finally conquer the continental landmass of Europe. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way than the stories and people I would spend with today in Bratislava....
by Calvin Sun | Mar 25, 2018 | Hungary, March 2018: Central Europe Road Trip, Serendipitous!, What Dreams May Come
When I did Budapest by night 6 months ago, I made a promise I’d return with a group of monsooners. A promise made is a promise kept. It’s good to be back. After flying in on a 8:40am Norwegian Air Shuttle flight from Stockholm, we landed at...
