climbing mount etna

The van arrived right on schedule, 4:45 AM, and we were all in the courtyard in front of the flat on Triq DePiro ready to go. This is our last group trip together with the Malta students, Spring 2015 edition. It is a bonus trip in the sense that …

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enjoying island life on a warm may day

Every day is a good day when you are on a boat, in the beautiful blue Mediterranean. After a bit of a mixup on the bus this morning, we got to spend 4 amazing hours with Captain Franz on a boat trip from St. Paul’s bay to Gozo to …

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a tale of two scams: in three parts

Date Tags travel

Gastronomic Negotiation

"Sir, you walk past me every night. Please give me a chance! I will give you an appetizer and free baklava for desert!" Really? I honestly don't remember you. I've only walked down this road one other time. "Very Sorry" I say, "I've already got a dinner reservation …

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istanbul: capital of two empires

"You want a fish!?" Said the night watchman with confusion. "No," I said, "do you have a cork-screw?" doing my best imitation of screwing in a corkscrew and then pulling out the cork. "Ah! One moment" And off he went, out the front door and into the restaurant across the …

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biking in london

Think you have done it all in London? The museums, the London Eye, the changing of the guard, the Thames, the list goes on. Here is a great way to spend a day, for almost no money. Rent a Barclay's bike and head for the Regents Canal. This is exactly …

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fa cup semifinal

The first words I read as my phone synced up email in the passport control line at Luton were "still no tickets." The message went on to explain that the tickets were still supposed to be delivered by eleven PM by someone named Jamie who is running behind schedule.

Wembley Stadium

Getting …

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homeward bound in 77 days

Date Tags travel

Somehow the midpoint of this journey escaped my notice. Its not surprising as it has been a busy and amazing two weeks, full of new cultures and new experiences. But, this morning we have time to just relax, watch the sea outside our room, and think about our experiences over …

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andalusia biking summary

I'm just going to put all of the images into a big slideshow for this post.



  1. Malaga to Antequera: Tonight we stayed at the Convento Magadaleno after a very difficult ride through the Sierra del Torcal. 24 miles in the heat and a lot of climbing. We checked in to …
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biking in andalusia

After a week in Morocco, Jane and I are now biking in the Andalusia region of Spain. Whereas Morocco was a bit of a mental and cultural challenge the biking is definitely a physical challenge! On day one we covered 24 miles and climbed 4,400 feet. On day two …

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