'Staying Alive By Not Staying Still'
‘Staying Alive By Not Staying Still’ Now that I’m all in on writing a memoir about my near-seven years of solo world travel, including the dramatic events that led me …
What good New Jersey native could pass up an opportunity to visit a genuine “New Jersey Snack Bar Coffee” in Tirana, Albania?
Well, I couldn’t, but I have to confess, I walked out thinking there was more going on there than met the eye.
My friend Peggy, whom I met in a cafe in the White Mountains of Crete, sent me advice in a cautionary email after reading a brief post I wrote mentioning my night in the Skopje bus station.
Skopje is the capital city of Northern Macedonia, one of the Balkan states in southeastern Europe. It was formerly part of Yugoslavia until it gained its independence by referendum in 1992 following the Yugoslav wars.
I was just passing through on my way to Sofia, Bulgaria.
I returned a week ago from a travel memoir writing workshop in Paris where a dozen participants, 11 from around the U.S. and one polite Canadian (thank you, Garrett), communed with fellow travelers, writers, and American travel writing legend and all-around good guy Rolf Potts who organized the event.
I been basking in the glow of that marvelous 6-day experience ever since.
I’m back. After a long run of recuperation following the roughest patch of travel I’ve experienced in nearly six years, I’m catching up starting today with a post from my …
I’m breaking in a new pair of hiking boots so walking has been my principal mode of transportation of late. But that’s OK since walking through unfamilar cityscapes is one of my favorite travel pastimes.
So far so good with my new bargain boots.
I’ve been in Athens now for a week. You’ve probably seen my first post on the Acropolis; now I’ve got some other photos taken on various other walks, starting with the Wednesday open market on Kavlou Street, in the Gizi neighborhood of the city, where I live.
“The brave succeed in all adventures, even those who come from countries far away.” — The words of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Battle, to Odysseus, the wandering traveler trying …
Most of you probably read my account of getting drugged and robbed in Istanbul.
However I haven’t reported the mugging I got from one of my credit card issuers in the aftermath.
While the drugging and robbery were over in an afternoon on July 2, the mugging by the bank occurred during the ensuing nine weeks as I tried to show that I was truly the victim of a crime and should have the fraudulent charges on my stolen credit card removed.
Just hope something like this never happens to you.
(Note: I’ve inserted some random photos of my recent three-month stay in Turkey that I haven’t shared yet, just to lighten the mood and show Turkey in a different, better light than what might be inferred from what happened to me in a single incident. Otherwise the photos are not specifically relevant to the post.)