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

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...

Melilla-ll Your Dreams Come True

by Calvin Sun | July 23, 2025 | Ceuta & Melilla, July 2025: Northern & Southern Spain, Spain, Summer 2025: The Long Road to Berlin, Way Way Off the Beaten Path | 0 Comments

After a long road trip across nearly the entire circumference of Northern Morocco, we reached our hotel by 2:00am local time earlier this morning at Hotel Melilla Puerto, trying our best to ignore all the kids trying to get in behind us due to a recent concert nearby...

How to Be Pamp-Blown-Away in One Day — and Survive a Bull Run

by Calvin Sun | Jul 14, 2025 | Crisis, Fail, Festivals, July 2025: Northern & Southern Spain, Rules Are Meant To Be Broken, Serendipitous!, Spain, Summer 2025: The Long Road to Berlin, Walking Tours, What Dreams May Come

We arrived just in time for the final stretch of the San Fermin Festival aka the Running of the Bulls, and we’re therefore diving headfirst into the vibrant chaos of Pamplona during this festival -- To get here, I redeemed 90k miles for...

Meet the Monsooners of Tomorrowland 2025!

by Calvin Sun | May 2, 2025 | Introductions

This July 38 of us are heading back to Spain and Tomorrowland, both for the 3rd time with at least 51 others and about half of them returning for another monsoon: Mihaela “Compass”: 19 time monsooner (across 30+ countries!) to Libya, Syria,...

The Tagline I’d Be Proud Of

by Calvin Sun | Jan 13, 2025 | Epiphanies on the Road, Post-travel Reflections

Six years ago, during our entire week without a signal, data, or internet and wandering through the otherworldly landscapes of Socotra Island, Yemen, my friend and co-guide at the time, Pier Doyon, asked me a question that caught me off guard: “What would your...

Bujum-bura My Head in the Sand

by Calvin Sun | Jan 12, 2025 | Burundi, Epiphanies on the Road, Flying Fancy, January 2025: Central Africa, Rules Are Meant To Be Broken, Way Way Off the Beaten Path, You're Going to Miss It...

It's nice to wake up in front of our airport gate, again. For the 3rd time and second to last time back in Addis Ababa as our home base for our Central Africa trip, it was another 2 hour and 45 minute flight from Addis Ababa and this time to...

Let’s Not Fight If We’re Brazza-s-ville

by Calvin Sun | Jan 10, 2025 | Border Crossing, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Fail, Getting that VISA, January 2025: Central Africa, Lessons Learned, Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Republic of Congo, Rules Are Meant To Be Broken, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

To get in, you first need a VISA: The Republic of Congo website: https://www.ambacongo-us.org/en/embassy-services/consular/visa Download and fill out 2 copies of the visa form ROC Visa Application Attach required documents 2 passport photos with the 2 visa forms The...

Kinshasa My Worries Goodbye!

by Calvin Sun | Jan 9, 2025 | Border Crossing, Crisis, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Doctor in the House, Fail, Getting that VISA, How Did You Do That?, January 2025: Central Africa, Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Republic of Congo, Rules Are Meant To Be Broken, Travel Warnings, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

To get in, you first need a VISA: Download and fill out the visa form: DRC Visa Application Attach required documents One passport-style photograph (2″x2″) taken within last 6 months. Invitation letter from your host OR hotel reservation A printed copy of yellow fever...

Don’t Get Bangui, Get Even

by Calvin Sun | Jan 7, 2025 | Central African Republic, Getting that VISA, January 2025: Central Africa, Travel Warnings, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

To get in, you first need a VISA Download and fill out the visa form: CAR visa application Attach required documents Physical copy of your passport A 2x2 passport photo of you in front of a white background A letter of invitation A copy of proof of your yellow fever...

Is This The End of an Era?

by Calvin Sun | Jan 6, 2025 | Epiphanies on the Road, Introspection

This trip feels different. I’m on what will likely be my very last Monsoon trip that embodies the spirit of how this all began: a whirlwind journey through multiple countries no one in our group has been to before. This time, it’s Chad, Niger,...

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