by Calvin Sun | Apr 30, 2022 | April 2022: French Polynesia, Crisis, French Polynesia, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
Today from Bora Bora we set sail back to the main islands at 10am. And for 3 hours we braved the rocky seas as I watched the whole boat except me and our skipper Borna fall like flies. I hope my Disney and 90s throwback music helped. Hakuna Matata. ...
by Calvin Sun | Apr 26, 2022 | April 2022: French Polynesia, French Polynesia, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
Today we headed back from Huahine on a 4 hour sail for the two main islands for another free day. By 1pm we reached Taha’a island where life slows down; this charmingly quiet island sweeps you deep into the typical Polynesians’ easygoing...
by Calvin Sun | Mar 13, 2022 | Iraq, March 2022: Central Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
For our third and final day in Iraq, we embarked on our journey to Samarra, capital of the Abbasid Caliphate and the only remaining Islamic capital retaining its original architecture, plans and relics. Before leaving we were treated to the royal treatment when...
by Calvin Sun | Mar 12, 2022 | Iraq, March 2022: Central Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
After a morning paying our respects in the holy city of Karbala, we enjoyed a private chicken and lamb lunch at a rest stop in Hillah before another 30 minutes’ drive to Babylon. Upon arrival we first posed in front of the only remaining (and...
by Calvin Sun | Mar 12, 2022 | Iraq, March 2022: Central Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
For our second morning in Iraq, we drove an hour onwards to Karbala, the “mecca” for Shi’ite Muslims where tens of millions of Shi’ite Muslims visit twice a year to commemorate the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali. As we...
by Calvin Sun | Mar 11, 2022 | Getting that VISA, How Did You Do That?, Iraq, March 2022: Central Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Serendipitous!, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
Less than 4 years ago I was invited on a whim to join my friend Rik Brinks for a beer in Kurdistan Iraq. So I went without a moment’s notice, not realizing how easy it was to get in with a visa on arrival. There I ran into not only Rik, but also...
