Monthly Archives: July 2013

Bad Taxi Karma

I don’t like taking taxis by myself.  If I can avoid taking a taxi solo, I will.  As a traveler, though, taking taxis, alone or accompanied, is unavoidable.  I dislike taking taxis because, even though I hate people, there’s something … Continue reading

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Travelogue: Abu Dhabi and the UAE

My father got lured out of retirement in 2010 to work for a company owned by the government of Abu Dhabi, one of the United Arab Emirates (the one that most people have heard of is Dubai).  As a result, … Continue reading

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Travel Tips: how to pack

I love to travel.  I love being in a new city and learning how to navigate unfamiliar streets and neighborhoods and eating at restaurants that I can’t find at home.  I love getting caught up in conversations with locals, whether … Continue reading

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Code Switching: do you do it?

[My friend Diane, who lives in Singapore and is married to an Australian man, and I have been discussing code switching over e-mail for the past few weeks.  She suggested it as a post topic for me, but I haven’t … Continue reading

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Girls from the Past

There was a three-week period of time during which I cast aspersions on a young relative, accusing him of being spoiled and lacking basic life skills.  I found out that I live in a glass house and that I’ve been … Continue reading

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Travels with the Viking: Iron Horse

The Viking and I have gone on enough wine-tasting trips together that we have a couple of unspoken, de facto rules.  The first is that if it’s just the two of us, I drive.  There are a few reasons for … Continue reading

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Drinking with the Viking

My friend Loraine is my favorite travel buddy, but the downfall of spending free or vacation time with her is that I get lulled into false sense of alcohol-related security.  I get caught up in the fun, and I forget … Continue reading

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“Passion” Bugs

I think that one of the most overused words is “passion” and its variations.  As in, “What’s your passion?” or “My passion is X,” or “I’m really passionate about A, B, and C.”  “Passion” (the word, not the thing) makes … Continue reading

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ONETWOTHREE DEATH!

I mentioned in an earlier post that I got lucky a few weeks ago when I was in the Bay Area and had a day with no meetings.  I got even luckier that the Monterey Bay Aquarium acquired a peacock … Continue reading

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