Last year we put a spotlight on six odd items we were packing for our round-the-world trip. Now that we’ve been on the road for eight months, we have a pretty solid idea of what is useful (i.e.: the things we kept) and what had to go (and did!). To keep to the theme of Read Post
Kayaking Through Alleppey’s Backwaters
When we arrived in Alleppey, India, we were bombarded with offers to board a houseboat for a night or two. That’s what tourists do in Alleppey: cruise the backwaters on a private boat. But after arriving here, we were just not impressed by them. The houseboats have a bedroom, kitchen and outdoor sitting area, and Read Post
Tara Chops Off Her Hair
If you’ve been following our blog, you know that I’ve been toying with the idea of cutting off my long locks. I’ve only had my hair cut shorter than chin-length once in my life — third grade — and I hated it. But I thought that in the spirit of our “this will be the craziest thing Read Post
Out of the Sauna And Into the Bath
A single exposed fluorescent bulb hangs 20 feet from the center of a large rectangular atrium. The bulb is not illuminated, as it is four forty-five in the afternoon and the sun’s rays pour in through the open doorway. Several horseflies purposely circle the light; their buzzing waxing and waning in intensity as they loop Read Post
An American in a Turkish Bath
It was midday and I was sitting naked on the edge of a square marble countertop unsure where to direct my gaze. A topless Turkish woman held my left hand as she scrubbed the length of my arm with more vigor than I ever had before. As the two of us locked eyes, she forced Read Post