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,...

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,...

N’Djamena It? I’m Gonna Go To Chad?

by Calvin Sun | Jan 3, 2025 | Chad, Flying Fancy, Getting that VISA, January 2025: Central Africa, Let me tell you a Story..., Way Way Off the Beaten Path

First you need... Getting the Visa Here’s the process: Download and fill out the visa form: Chad Visa Form Attach required documents: Filled out visa form A physical 2x2 passport photo. Your onward flight ticket out from Chad. An invitation letter. Prepare...

Niger-ly There!

by Calvin Sun | Jan 3, 2025 | Fail, Getting that VISA, January 2025: Central Africa, Layovers, Niger, Way Way Off the Beaten Path

To get in, you first need a VISA: Download and fill out 2 COPIES of the visa form: Niger online Visa Form. Attach the following documents 2 copies of the filled out visa form 2 passport photos to accompany the 2 visa forms A Letter of Invitation Prepare payment;...

Easter Island: It’s A Rap-a Nui!

by Calvin Sun | Dec 4, 2024 | Autumn 2024: Rapa Nui, Epiphanies on the Road, Post-travel Reflections, Rapa Nui, Serendipitous!, What Dreams May Come, You're Going to Miss It...

Been on all our list, it has its own emoji 🗿, it's been in the collective consciousness of all those who travel, and like Faroe Islands, it deserves to be visited before you grow too old. The 8 of us jumped on making this trip happen after...

Santia-way We Go!

by Calvin Sun | Dec 1, 2024 | Autumn 2024: Rapa Nui, Chile, Rapa Nui

I've been to Santiago before 10 years ago, but when looking through my short term memory loss of posts, I realized we never really explored the city! We had skipped over it for Valpariso, so it's now time to return and do it justice monsoon style. Arriving at...

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