The Monsoon Diaries: How to travel the world with no time or money -

Grenada Más

by Calvin Sun | November 4, 2025 | Grenada, October 2025: Pirates of the Caribbean's At World's End | 0 Comments

🇬🇩 190 down. 3 to go. After our 3 day stay in Dominica, we took a long hour-and-a-half drive back to the airport from our Portsmouth lodgings, stopping for a quick photo opportunity along the way. Dominica's airport is tiny. You...

Dominica-n’t Miss This

by Calvin Sun | November 1, 2025 | Dominica, October 2025: Pirates of the Caribbean's At World's End, Way Way Off the Beaten Path | 0 Comments

From St. Vincent, we boarded InterCaribbean Airways JY 717 at 12:20pm. Their new airport, however, was built just 8 years ago and still has some operational quirks. The staff double-printed my first leg itinerary from St. Vincent to Barbados without including...

Dead Men Tell No Layovers: St. Vincent & The Grenadines in 12 Hours

by Calvin Sun | October 29, 2025 | Layovers, October 2025: Pirates of the Caribbean's At World's End, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 0 Comments

Fresh off a quick overnight in Grenada (courtesy of a free JetBlue voucher from last October's Welcome to Chinatown gala), we touched down at Maurice Bishop International Airport at 1:53pm. This marked the beginning of a 3-country Caribbean...

Getting Away With Robbinsville: The Akshardham Redemption

by Calvin Sun | October 6, 2025 | Camping, Layovers, New Jersey, October 2025: Camping in Robbinsville | 0 Comments

One of my more unique camping trips to have monsooned; this is what happens when you plan a camping trip months in advance just to visit a temple arguably worth seeing as a world-class destination. I was stuck at work all day Friday as Eddie took the initiative...

A Quick Halifax Check

by Calvin Sun | September 12, 2025 | Layovers, Lessons Learned, September 2025: Newfoundland to Saint Pierre & Miquelon, Walking Tours | 0 Comments

After two days in Saint-Pierre (and a turbulent ferry ride to Miquelon and back), we boarded an hour-and-a-half direct Air Saint-Pierre 9am flight to Halifax, landing around 9:30am local time (Halifax runs an hour behind Saint-Pierre), Our onward...

Miquelon Impossible

by Calvin Sun | September 11, 2025 | Doctor in the House, September 2025: Newfoundland to Saint Pierre & Miquelon, Way Way Off the Beaten Path | 0 Comments

Sometimes the most spontaneous detours leave the strongest impressions. That morning in Saint Pierre, we hadn't planned on leaving the island. But after completing two walking tours around St. Pierre and checking the ferry schedule, we realized we could still...

48 Hours in a Little Saint-Pierre-ce of France

by Calvin Sun | September 11, 2025 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon, September 2025: Newfoundland to Saint Pierre & Miquelon, Way Way Off the Beaten Path | 0 Comments

After three days soaking in St. John's charm, we dropped off our rental car at YYT Saint John's airport to catch the rare 5pm direct flight (PH1127) via Air Saint-Pierre to Saint-Pierre & Miquelon: one of the few weekly connections between Newfoundland and...

Don’t Be Dildo-Dallying

by Calvin Sun | September 9, 2025 | Canada, September 2025: Newfoundland to Saint Pierre & Miquelon, Way Way Off the Beaten Path | 0 Comments

While based in St. John's, we took a spontaneous day trip by rental car to the now-famous town of Dildo. You'll know when you arrive; they're incredibly proud of their distinctive name. Though a vocal minority has repeatedly raised referendums to...

St. John’s: The Eastern Edge of Everything Everywhere All At Once

by Calvin Sun | September 9, 2025 | Canada, September 2025: Newfoundland to Saint Pierre & Miquelon, Serendipitous!, Way Way Off the Beaten Path | 0 Comments

Months ago I decided to gift myself a week off after Labor Day...simply because I could. After a year as wild as this past one, I craved actual and intentional self-prioritization to restore some balance. Finding fares under $200, I booked a morning departure:...

Singapore Airlines Business Class FRA-JFK

by Calvin Sun | August 5, 2025 | Flying Fancy, Germany, Summer 2025: The Long Road to Berlin | 0 Comments

After a slow morning walk and talking about our villain (antihero?) origin stories in Berlin, I hugged Daniela and Gabe goodbye, hopped on the tram for a few stops, went underground for the metro, and made it back to the hostel in time for a 1:30pm check out. Nisha,...

Goa

by Calvin Sun | Jul 31, 2010 | How's the weather?, India, Summer 2010: Southeast Asia & India

Goa, I'm finally here.

Magical Hampi

by Calvin Sun | Jul 30, 2010 | How's the weather?, India, Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Public Transportation, Summer 2010: Southeast Asia & India, What Dreams May Come

Hampi is a place that should be described visually, not with words. Or with music:Press play. And then start reading. I brought you something close to me,Left for something you see though your here.You haunt my dreamsThere's nothing to do but...

Blessed By Lakshmi The Elephant; Mugged By Rahul The Monkey

by Calvin Sun | Jul 29, 2010 | How Did You Do That?, India, Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Public Transportation, Summer 2010: Southeast Asia & India, What Dreams May Come

Hampi's not quite direct to reach. I had to take a grueling overnight mosquito-ridden 11 hour bus to Hospet from Hyderabad (450 rupees), a 10 minute auto-rickshaw to the bus stand (5 rupees if you get in the early morning), and then a 45 minute public bus ride...

Moving On From Hyderabad To Hampi

by Calvin Sun | Jul 29, 2010 | Epiphanies on the Road, How Did You Do That?, India, Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Summer 2010: Southeast Asia & India

Took a sleeper bus direct from Hyderabad to Hospet (450 rupees for AC sleeper, regular seat), where I then boarded a public bus to Hampi (5 rupees) that morning.It was very difficult to leave. I forgot to elaborate how I stayed in a famous art gallery...

Good Company In Hyderabad

by Calvin Sun | Jul 28, 2010 | Epiphanies on the Road, India, Serendipitous!, Summer 2010: Southeast Asia & India

I don't think I will remember Hyderabad for its beautiful sights like Charminar or the Buddha Temple. Instead, I will take with me from Hyderabad a group of amazing people and new friends, from the unceasing hospitality of Saraswati and her sister Madhurya, to...

Mozzies!

by Calvin Sun | Jul 27, 2010 | India, Summer 2010: Southeast Asia & India

So my bus to Hampi never existed and I'll be leaving tomorrow instead. Still hanging out at the Indian School of Business.BTW, what kind of mosquito manages to find a way to bite you in the butt?I'll spare you the picture.

Back On The Road…With A Lot Of Pretty Pictures

by Calvin Sun | Jul 26, 2010 | How's the weather?, India, Summer 2010: Southeast Asia & India, Uncategorized Stories

So I'm back on the road, hanging out with my friend Vaibhav (the same Vaibhav that helped me book a place when I was in Calcutta a week ago) and his classmates at the Indian School of Business, which is an hour from the city center of Hyderabad. It's good to get...

The Trip Resumes Tonight!

by Calvin Sun | Jul 25, 2010 | Epiphanies on the Road, India, Summer 2010: Southeast Asia & India, The Nightlife

I wake up in what feels like a morning after a night of excess. Saw a seedier underbelly of this city last night. I can't write details, but just imagine a toned down version of Trainspotting in Mumbai. As a casual observer, I found it to be a...

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