Vagabonding Life

Valentine’s Day Math

Greg — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:27:10 +0000

“Guys, Valentine’s Day is not that complicated — give, and you shall receive.” The now-famous words from Adriana Lima in Teleflora’s Super Bowl Commercial had guys across America adjusting their pants after her getting-dolled-up routine. CEOs across America had to adjust their pants, too, but for a completely different reason: They could already feel [...]

Vagabonding: How to Meet People

Greg — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:49:24 +0000

People often inaccurately associate vagabonding with vacation-style travel, where the objective is to accumulate 2,000 photos of forgettable landmarks and beach horizons on disk, never to be looked at again. With the average, hard-working American being entitled to only two weeks of vacation per year, often little time is left for the most exciting part [...]

A Vagabond Returns Home

Greg — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:08:56 +0000

Upstairs, a spent Christmas tree sits quietly in the darkness; all the carefully wrapped gifts beneath having long been looted, and now even the tree itself has transformed from joy to burden as someone has to take it down. Orion is dazzling just outside of my door up in a crispy, winter sky. An occasional satellite arcs quietly [...]

Climbing Sumatra’s Gunung Sibayak

Greg — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:31:18 +0000

Two months ago I tackled Gunung Sibayak — an active volcano in North Sumatra, Indonesia, with three new friends. The visuals, eerie landscape, and risky downclimb were part of an adventure that I’ll never forget. As an added bonus, I was kept awake all night before the climb by earthquakes rattling my bungalow. I guess [...]

Trouble in Paradise

Greg — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 08:34:15 +0000

Amazing how sore a few days on a motorbike can make your bottom. There are two types of motorbike drivers in Southeast Asia: those that have already fed the concrete and those that are going to feed the concrete with skin and blood. Luckily, I’m still a part of the later group. After several more [...]

My First Encounter with Headhunters

Greg — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 07:41:00 +0000

A quick twist of the throttle sent wind through my hair and vibrations from my buzzing motor through my body. Mile after mile of gorgeous volcanic scenery kept unfolding in front of me on what is perhaps the most enjoyable motorbike ride of my life. On my left, farmers stooped in rice fields, knee deep [...]

Welcome to the Jungle

Greg — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 08:32:57 +0000

In three wide swings with its massive arms, the orangutan I had been observing from a distance, closed the gap between us and landed in the tree beside me with a thud. It was so close, I could hear it breathing. Just as when I encountered the backcountry grizzly bear in Alaska, I backed away [...]

Making a Move

Greg — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 07:46:51 +0000

Damn, putting on shoes isn’t fun anymore. I’ve somehow managed to burn my skimpy Thai visa (only 28 days!) between Bangkok and Koh Tao. Life could be worse, I suppose, but leaving an island after nearly two weeks is a difficult thing to do. I just indulged the Air Asia pirates by buying a ticket [...]

Bamboo Tattoo

Greg — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:28:28 +0000

Tap. Tap. Tap. I was lying flat on my back, watching two hungry geckos devour bug after bug on the thatched ceiling. Meanwhile, a man was driving a sharpened bamboo stick with a nail into the sensitive part of my inner arm. Bucket list goal of “Get a Traditional Bamboo Tattoo” = done. Although the [...]

Koh Tao

Greg — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:30:22 +0000

Decisions. Decisions. Should I mash the little ant that is biting me or just flick it away? Banana or coconut shake? Should I duck out of the beach party tonight to actually get a dive or two in tomorrow? Yes, daily life on Koh Tao — a small island in the Gulf of Thailand — [...]