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...

Svalbard Day 7: Colesbukta

by Calvin Sun | Jun 26, 2022 | Fail, June 2022: Svalbard, Norway, Svalbard, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

Last day. Our last stop before our voyage comes to an end is at Colesbukta, a former Russian coal mining settlement long since abandoned. A surreal paradise of the abandoned, let the buildings speak for themselves. Or the local...

Svalbard Day 6: Kongsfjorden & Engelskbukta

by Calvin Sun | Jun 25, 2022 | June 2022: Svalbard, Norway, Svalbard, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

After some drama suturing up my knee last night, I slept in and skipped breakfast as our ship sailed into Kongsfjorden, an expansive fjord spilling with glaciers. By mid morning we then moored off Ny Ålesund, one of the northernmost settlements in...

Svalbard Day 5: Liefdefjorden, Jakobsenbukta, Monacobreen

by Calvin Sun | Jun 24, 2022 | June 2022: Svalbard, Norway, Svalbard, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

After a day on pack ice northwest of Svalbard and recovering from karaoke the night before, today we sailed into Woodfjorden, Andrée Land. The name Woodfjorden is referring to the large amounts of driftwood that cover some beaches. We then landed at...

Svalbard Day 4: Northern Pack Ice

by Calvin Sun | Jun 23, 2022 | June 2022: Svalbard, Norway, Svalbard, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

Today was a day of entirely sailing, where we headed into the unreal views of endless pack ice to the northwest of Svalbard. So I set up my office for the day: We watched endless beauty at 80º Latitude. A day totally...

Svalbard Day 3: The Northwest; Virgohamna, Smeerenburg & Ytre Norskoya

by Calvin Sun | Jun 22, 2022 | June 2022: Svalbard, Norway, Svalbard, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

After breakfast on the ship for our third day we approached Virgohamna. Our group would luck out this morning in getting randomly selected first for kayaking, taking advantage of the low wind speed and calm waters here. So at 9am we...

Svalbard Day 2: Tinayrebreen & Lilliehöökbreen

by Calvin Sun | Jun 21, 2022 | June 2022: Svalbard, Norway, Svalbard, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

After breakfast and another safety briefing on the ship, we fitted ourselves with our musk boots for the week before one more separate orientation for kayakers. They love their orientations on this trip. After lunch we continued our course...

Svalbard Day 1: A Long Few Years to Longyearbyen

by Calvin Sun | Jun 20, 2022 | June 2022: Svalbard, Norway, Svalbard, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

It took 3 years for us to get here, and it's finally time to explore Longyearbyen. FYI, if you missed it from yesterday's post when we first arrived, they DO stamp out your passport when arriving from Norway to Svalbard, even if Svalbard is considered a...

The Svalbardian Triangle: Pyramiden

by Calvin Sun | Jun 19, 2022 | Fail, Flying Fancy, Getting that VISA, How Did You Do That?, How's the weather?, June 2022: Svalbard, Lessons Learned, Norway, Svalbard, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

Postponed 3 times over 3 years, we're finally making this voyage happen. It may not be starting off pretty once we arrived, but what matters is that we're here. Using miles for my first voyage on SAS Airlines, I spent only $70 to snag a Business...

« Older Entries

Next Entries »