A lot of people replied by email to my last cryptic “Where’s Waldo” blog… Well, the correct answer is “Ottawa”. I’ve locked myself away in semi-seclusion for a month to get a solid start on a new book. And I’m pleased to report that it’s going well. A few of you also saw my Facebook post, and wanted to know what the new book will be about...
It’s time for a little game of “Where’s Waldo”… Except… well… I’m Waldo. And I’m not wearing a striped sweater or a funny hat. I’m on the road again. And I’m currently locked in semi-seclusion making a start on a new book. Here’s a late-day view from my balcony: Can YOU guess where I am? Reply in the comments below if you...
It’s been a bit quiet around here lately, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been scheming… You were desperate for your travel fix. In need of stories that combine adventure, philosophy, bookish overtones and deep desert thoughts. Well it’s time to get your fix… You asked and I have delivered. But I didn’t just put together one catch-all piece for your reading pleasure. I’ve got 3 totally new...
Travel stories are perhaps the oldest human narrative. Even our earliest known text—the Epic of Gilgamesh—contains the story of a journey. And I can easily imagine our prehistoric ancestors sitting around a campfire telling hunter’s tales of all they’d seen. Why does travel fascinate us on such a deep level? And why do so many of us do it? Some of us travel as a vacation: to decompress from...
Travel is the greatest education I’ve ever had. It has taught me more about myself than any school or course or book. It has opened my mind to new worlds, new customs, new landscapes and new ways of being. But a lifestyle based on travel also comes with hidden dangers… And it’s easy to miss them when you’re blinded by the excitement of the new. I’m only starting to realize some of these...
Jet lag is the price we pay for traveling at high speeds. The technical term for it is a “circadian rhythm sleep disorder”, which just means your internal clock is messed up because you hopped time zones faster than Phileas Fogg could inflate his balloon. Jet lag seems to affect different people to different degrees. And I find it easier to adjust when flying east to west than going west to east...
The Philosopher and the Wolf is a profound and original book. But I never would have found it if it hadn’t been recommended to me. Even after I ordered it, it sat on my shelf for over a year before I finally picked it up. I can understand why the back cover copy didn’t grab my attention, because this is a rather difficult book to describe. It’s not quite an autobiography, because the author is...
There are hours of the night when we reach our lowest ebb. Dark hours when doubts creep in. We question ourselves. And everything is up for grabs — even our most deeply held beliefs. I wrote the following words in Spain last summer. I was sitting on a bench in a deserted Barcelona airport concourse at 3am, struggling to stay awake. These are the worries I confided to my notebook: I find myself...
It’s been a while since I dipped into the mailbag to answer a question from my readers. Here’s one from Jeff Shore, who posted on Facebook: “When you travel to an exotic locale, would you rather educate yourself and find things by word-of-mouth from locals; or hire a professional guide to assist, and why?” First, great question Jeff. It shows you’re thinking outside the box of pre-packaged...
I read a very good book this week called The Longest Way Home. It reminded me of myself in so many ways. And I wanted to share it with you. The author, Andrew McCarthy, is probably best known as an actor. I first saw him on cheap night at the Parkdale Cinemas in Brockville. I think it was Tuesdays or Wednesdays in the summer, when we got in for $2. I went there every week with my Grade 10...
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