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

Getting Away With Robbinsville: The Akshardham Redemption

by Calvin Sun | October 6, 2025 | Camping, Layovers, New Jersey | 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, 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,...

When You’ve Never Been to Berlin

by Calvin Sun | August 4, 2025 | Let me tell you a Story..., Serendipitous!, Summer 2025: The Long Road to Berlin, The Nightlife, Walking Tours | 0 Comments

If it's not already playing, press play. And then start reading. After 3 days in Amsterdam, Nisha, Sujay, Priscilla, Kenny, and myself boarded a 2pm direct train bound for Berlin. It was a 7.5-hour journey that gave us just enough time to reflect...

I Amsterdand We’re Back in Amsterdam!

by Calvin Sun | July 31, 2025 | How Did You Do That?, Let me tell you a Story..., Summer 2025: The Long Road to Berlin, The Netherlands | 0 Comments

From Tomorrowland, because apparently we still weren’t done, 7 of us rerouted north for one last hurrah in Amsterdam, linking up with Anthony Lui and his Dutch crew. While most of the group boarded planes home to brave the dreaded post-festival blues, we...

Tomorrowland After The Fire

by Calvin Sun | July 29, 2025 | Belgium, Festivals, Fit for Foodies, Serendipitous!, Summer 2025: The Long Road to Berlin | 0 Comments

How’s my ankle holding up before Tomorrowland.... This is Day 0 — right after a 1500-lb bull stepped on it: Day 8: Day 4: Day 17: Not bad, right? Turns out I can be pretty decent at wound care when the stakes are high. Last year was cancer, this year...

Don’t “Strey”-moy Too Far Away!

by Calvin Sun | Aug 24, 2022 | August 2023: The Faroe Islands, Faroe Islands, What Dreams May Come

Good morning Tórshavn! From the capital city of Tórshavn, we set out at 10am after breakfast for the 15 minute drive up to the gorgeous mountain pass of Norðadalsskarð: We spent a good 10 minutes admiring this epic view before...

Vágar-bounds in Tórshavn

by Calvin Sun | Aug 23, 2022 | August 2023: The Faroe Islands, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Fit for Foodies, Flying Fancy, How Did You Do That?, Walking Tours, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

Apparently I can't just get enough of the Scandinavia hygge life after Svalbard. I'm now back on another lesser-visited Scandinavian island autonomous territory, during one of the most popular times to visit in the year when the weather stays (relatively)...

Meet the Faroese!

by Calvin Sun | Aug 18, 2022 | Introductions

No postponing this one; this one is actually coming earlier than I had originally anticipated. I came up with this trip idea only 2 and a half months ago et voila! 8 have signed up to join on a trip that I had been planning to save for retirement: The Faroe...

So Far From Becoming a “Tarrafal” Time!

by Calvin Sun | Jul 20, 2022 | Cape Verde, Fit for Foodies, July 2022: Cape Verde

Our original plan today was to visit the outer islands of either Sal or Maio, but due to technical engine failures of all of TACV's flights today, we would be "marooned" on Santiago. What a first world problem to suggest because we still would make the most of...

Will You Be My Cidade Velha-tine?

by Calvin Sun | Jul 19, 2022 | Cape Verde, July 2022: Cape Verde, Walking Tours

Retrieving us from Praia, our guide Rita of Bu Country Tours drove us the 20 minutes west to the historic former Cape Verdean capital city of Cidade Velha. We started up top at Fortaleza Real de San Felipe: Built originally to defend the city...

It’s Always A “Praia”-lly a Good Time To Travel!

by Calvin Sun | Jul 19, 2022 | Cape Verde, Getting that VISA, July 2022: Cape Verde, Walking Tours

5 days off in the middle of summer, and flights dropping down to $800 roundtrip from NYC to Cape Verde...what's not to like? Taking advantage of the new (just opened up 10 months ago!) Air Senegal Flight HC408 route, direct from NYC to DSS (NYC to Dakar), my...

You’re Going to Miss … Svalbard

by Calvin Sun | Jul 11, 2022 | Svalbard, You're Going to Miss It...

PRESS play and read the post with the music (and feel free to even watch it; it's very applicable) . . . You're going to miss hearing about trip to a region on Earth you never heard of before, signing up from as far back as 3 years to as...

The Tromsø Card

by Calvin Sun | Jun 28, 2022 | June 2022: Svalbard, Norway

After 6 days off the grid in Svalbard, 5 of our 15 decided to join my whimsical decision to visit Tromsø on the way back home.After a dramatic goodbye and making up for missing our bus to the airport, 6 of us took the 2:45pm flight out from Longyearbyen to...

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