I’m in Shanghai’s Pudong Airport about to board a Korean Airlines flight to Seoul. It’s not my choice to go to South Korea today. I would rather go to Japan. I actually have a ticket to Japan (Fukuoka), leaving at about the same time as my Seoul flight. But if I try to board the… Continue reading The Time I Was Denied Entry to China and How I Got In
Category: Life Changes
An Indoor 9-Mile Urban Hike
A fierce rainstorm had hit California. People had died, a reservoir was bursting at the seams, evacuations had been ordered in several counties. The storm weakened as it crossed the Rockies on its way to Minneapolis and points east. On Monday, Presidents’ Day, the storm finally hit Minneapolis, dropping 0.6 inches of rain. This… Continue reading An Indoor 9-Mile Urban Hike
A Constant Supply of Fresh Spices
Time, light, oxygen, and heat are enemies of spices. Enemy The Problem Mitigations Time I suspect the typical spice rack harbors spices from the last millennium. Buy tiny quantities, use within one year. For spices you use rarely, buy enough for one meal. Light Spice jars are usually transparent and sit on a rack on… Continue reading A Constant Supply of Fresh Spices
Around the World
Booked flights for my round-the-world journey. Choices we make in the USA directly affect the lives of people in the places I’m visiting.
RTW
Posted Dreaming of Circling the Globe.
Let’s Play “Which Button Do I Press?”
Question 1: Which button do I press to dispense hot water? A Japanese hotel room is an oasis from the complexity of navigating Japan. I can kick back, have a nice cup of tea, and calmly plan my next adventures. Or can I? Most Japanese hotel rooms have buttons you need to press to complete… Continue reading Let’s Play “Which Button Do I Press?”
A Place Where Two Seas Collide
Getting to Rishiri Island via Wakkanai (northern Hokkaido) from Minneapolis is straightforward, with a few perturbations. A place where the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk collide is bound to have perturbations. An agent at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport warned me the flight to Wakkanai might have to turn back. I was sure… Continue reading A Place Where Two Seas Collide
Beyond the Narrow Road to the Deep North
I’m drawn to places at the end of train lines. Today, my backpack and I head to Wakkanai in the north of Hokkaido. It’s as far north as you can go without entering Russia. Until about 150 years ago, Hokkaido was almost completely wilderness. The indigenous Ainu were able to live somewhat traditional lives while under… Continue reading Beyond the Narrow Road to the Deep North
Beyond the Narrow Road to the Deep North
Posted Beyond the Narrow Road to the Deep North.
A Rite of Passage
Used my senior stored value transit card for the first time.