All Aboard the Santa Claus Express!

by | February 10, 2026 | February 2026: Lapland, Finland, Fit for Foodies, Flying Fancy, Lapland, Way Way Off the Beaten Path | 0 Comments

  I woke up to an Arctic sunrise again, this time to send Mel off on her early flight back at 7:30am; she had to return a day before the rest of us. After she left in an Uber to the airport, I cooked the last of what was left in the fridge at the Airbnb and saw...
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For Richer, For Polar

by | February 9, 2026 | February 2026: Lapland, Finland, Fit for Foodies, How's the weather?, Lapland, Serendipitous!, Way Way Off the Beaten Path | 0 Comments

  I just woke up to this Arctic sunrise before everyone else in the Airbnb. I took the time to make some scrambled eggs for breakfast, brewed the coffee, and leisurely sat down to write this blog post as I waited for the rest of the group to come to life. What a...
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The Coolest Hotel in Lapland (Literally)

by | February 7, 2026 | February 2026: Lapland, Finland, How's the weather?, Lapland, What Dreams May Come | 0 Comments

    After sneaking in some sugar donuts just in time before Kahvila Lohihovi Oy closed at 5pm, we continued our 2 hour drive south from Ylläs to the Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos, about 30 minutes north of Rovaniemi on the shores of Lake Lehtojärvi....
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Ylläs Hear Me Out

by | February 6, 2026 | February 2026: Lapland, Finland, How's the weather?, Lapland, Way Way Off the Beaten Path | 0 Comments

How This Trip Happened On September 30, 2025, a monsooner named Yuhan — who's been on many trips with me — randomly invited me to watch her favorite anime that had a surprise 2-week return to theaters: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, originally released in 2006. I...
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Sundance’s Last Dance: Park City, UT

by | January 27, 2026 | How's the weather?, United States, Utah | 0 Comments

  Once again we're gathering friends across time zones and milestones; some have flown in from Philly, others from NYC, one flying over from Dallas just for the weekend to make new friends, all converging together this week on a mountain town for a week of...
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Meet the Lappi Wedding Party!

by | January 26, 2026 | Introductions | 0 Comments

How This Trip Happened On September 30, 2025, a monsooner named Yuhan — who's been on many trips with me — randomly invited me to watch her favorite anime that had a surprise 2-week return to theaters: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, originally released in 2006. I...
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Meet the Sundancers!

by | January 2, 2026 | Introductions | 0 Comments

  From a trip planned over a year ago after a bunch of friends joined me in Killington 2024, we are flying out to Park City, UT for our first time at the Sundance Film Festival for their final time in Park City, UT! Welcome back those returning with me for their...
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Niger At Last: A Second Chance

by | December 10, 2025 | Border Crossing, December 2025 Annex: Niger, Fail, Flying Fancy, Getting that VISA, How Did You Do That?, Layovers, Niger, Rules Are Meant To Be Broken, Way Way Off the Beaten Path, What Dreams May Come | 1 Comment

  11 months ago, I sat on the tarmac in Niger's International Airport at Niamey, watching my trip evaporate due to visa complications. The Niger Embassy in Washington D.C. had stopped issuing visas to Americans entirely.     But I don't give up. In late...
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Yemen Day 4: Mukalla Drive

by | December 5, 2025 | December 2025: Yemen - Hadhramaut Valley, Serendipitous!, Way Way Off the Beaten Path, Yemen | 0 Comments

Al-Mukalla Pulling ourselves away from a desert mirage paradise at Haid Al-Jazil, we swapped our armed guard at another checkpoint during the 2 hour drive to Mukalla.     You point that thing away from me!     After a long wait at one of the...
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Yemen Day 3: Where Reality Surpasses Dreams at Haid al-Jazil-lion Miles Away From Reality

by | December 4, 2025 | December 2025: Yemen - Hadhramaut Valley, Way Way Off the Beaten Path, What Dreams May Come, Yemen | 0 Comments

  Haid Al-Jazil As the afternoon began to wane, we continued onto our accommodation for the night at the Haid Al-Jazil Resort Hotel, named after what it overlooks and its location perching dramatically on a cliff overlooking the Wadi Do'an. You'll find remarkably...
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Meet The Monsooners Of Central America

Meet The Monsooners Of Central America

by | Jun 3, 2013 |

Here's to celebrating the end of my 3rd year of medical school: 4 countries and 9 cities for less than $1100 *all-inclusive* of flights, transportation, lodging and food at $20/day for 9 days from June 22nd - June 30th. From spelunking impressive Mayan ruins to...

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Dare We Dream For 2013?

Dare We Dream For 2013?

by | Feb 18, 2013 |

  2013 Trips   APRIL: Austin, Texas JUNE: Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama OCTOBER/NOVEMBER: Iceland DECEMBER: Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, ANTARCTICA     I do not take credit for any of these pictures because at the time of posting, I haven't been...

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You’re Going To Miss … Ukraine & Poland

You’re Going To Miss … Ukraine & Poland

by | Jan 11, 2013 | , , , , , , , , ,

 Pictures courtesy of Mandy Cheuk, Simon Lu, Kai Tan, Cynthia Koo, and yours truly.With contributions by Cynthia Koo. If it's not already playing, press play. And then start reading.  "...Because the only people for me are the mad ones, the...

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