by Lei Zhao | Jan 29, 2018 | August 2017: The Balkans, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Epiphanies on the Road, Guest Posts, Hungary, Montenegro, Post-travel Reflections, The Netherlands, What Dreams May Come
I embarked on a journey this past August that would take me through a diverse set of nations, cultures, and landscapes in Europe. The heart of this trip was a segment in Bosnia, Croatia, and Montenegro. Holland and Hungary were other destinations along the way. It had...
by Lei Zhao | May 1, 2017 | Cuba, Epiphanies on the Road, Guest Posts, How Did You Do That?, Post-travel Reflections, Way Way Off the Beaten Path, What Dreams May Come
Three hours from JFK. 90 miles from Key West. And yet, seemingly worlds away. Four New Yorkers — Alex, Elliot, Emma, and I — waited far too long for checked bags to show up, the first indication we were running on island time, and a socialist island at that. Our...
by Lei Zhao | Aug 28, 2015 | Canada, The Nightlife, Walking Tours, Weekend Trips
I’d always heard nothing but praise about the city of Montreal. I simply never got around to visiting the place until now. 48 hours in this unique city, which is an eclectic mix of modern and historic, European and American, French and English, have...
by Lei Zhao | Apr 21, 2015 | April 2015: Extreme South America, Border Crossing, French Guiana, How Did You Do That?, Public Transportation, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
The road to Cayenne, French Guiana (Guyane Doyen) from Paramaribo, Suriname was arduous, but almost a cakewalk when compared to the journey from Georgetown, Guyana to Paramaribo. For starters, there wasn’t a four-hour waiting period to cross the border. Our group...
by Lei Zhao | Aug 23, 2014 | Costa Rica, Fail, Guest Posts, How's the weather?, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
The Setting – The Nicoya Peninsula & Nosara The Nicoya Peninsula is located in western Costa Rica along the Pacific Coast. Most of the peninsula lies within Guanacaste Province. The climate of the Nicoya Peninsula ranges from the drier ranch lands in the...