We are explorers, wanderers, travelers, nomads. We strive to project the authenticity of places we visit through honest words and visuals. Enjoy!
All in RTW 2022
Hida-Takayama is one of those rare destination gems that reward the intrepid traveler. Its commitment to cultural and historical preservation educates and inspires. Surrounded by mountains, it’s also a gateway to the natural, untainted beauty of Japan.
Japan’s unique Gassho villages are an excellent example of emergent adaptation to natural environment, isolation, and economic necessity — earning them the status and protection of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Far more than just Instagram-worthy, they offer an experiential snippet of living history…
This post series details our 5-day high altitude hut-to-hut trek in the Japan Northern Alps in late September 2023. Our trek started at Murodo and ended at Shin-Hotaka in Chūbu-Sangaku National Park, covering 40 miles and loads of ascent and descent…
Japan Alps: This post provides cost, budget and logistical details for our 5-day hut-to-hut trek in the Japanese Northern Alps.
Day 1 of our five day Japan Alps Trek started at 8,000+ feet above sea level, with no acclimatization. It was up-and-down over steep, rocky terrain for the next several hours, with swirling mist, rugged ridge tops, and juniper-covered Alpine meadows…
Day 2 of the Japan Alps Trek was the longest and most strenuous section, with several rock scramble peaks, steep descents, and a final ridge-back climb to Mt. Yakushi, one of Japan’s “100 Most Famous Mountains”…
Day 3 of the Japan Alps Trek was the highlight of our trek, traversing broad highland meadows with magnificent views. A long descent into the cirque of Mt. Kurobegoro was brilliant with the first blazes of the Fall foliage. Lots of photos in this stage…
Day 4 of the Japan Alps Trek was short and wild as we hiked through gale force winds in a whiteout! Sugoroku-goya Hut offered a festive, safe shelter to weather the storm…
Day 5 of the Japan Alps Trek was a descent to Shin Hotaka hot springs resort area, with a fantastic cloud show and a peak at Yari-ga-dake…
Kamikochi in Chubu Sangaku National Park is the most iconic tourist destination in the region. We spent our last day in the Japan Alps walking a forest path, soaking in the sights, and planning our return trip…
North and South Korea are, technically, still at war. To appreciate Korea's recent history and internalize the tense relationship with North Korea, a trip to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and Panmunjeom is essential. Organized tours provide a one day trip from Seoul…
Muui Island (무의도 "Mu-ee-do") is just across the bay from Incheon airport, but totally immune from Seoul's urban vibe. This tiny rustic island is a terrific place for a day of rest or exercise, with beaches, hiking trails and incredible sunset views.
There are a series of little islands just west of Gimpo that offer fresh air, calm natural beauty, naval history and UNESCO world heritage dolmens. Ganghwa Do and its satellite islands are definitely off-the-beaten tourist path, but accessible via bus, car, and ferry from Seoul or Gimpo.
Jeong Seon pioneered the notion of realistic “true-view” landscape painting in Asia. For viewers in the modern age, his paintings provide a glimpse back in time. See also the companion exhibit by contemporary digital artist Lee Lee Nam.
Our 10 day Yucatan road trip officially started in Playa del Carmen, where we had the opportunity to live like a local. In this post, we detail some of the more local, off-the-beaten path spots in PDC, Mexico - and share car rental logistics in Mexico…
First stop on our 10 day Yucatan road trip was a cool dip in Taak Bi Ha underground cenote, near Tulum…
Valladolid is a colorful but sleepy little town west of the Mayan Riviera and our home base for several nights while we explored surrounding sites. We came here for the food, but fell in love with the slow pace, night market, funky art shops, and street carts…
On our 10 day Yucatan road trip, we made two separate day trips from Valladolid. The first was to Coba, where we were schooled in ancient Mayan shaman medicinal practices and then we explored Chichen Itza, one the of most famous and well-preserved city-state ruins in the Yucatan…
Another stop on our 10 day Yucatan Mexico road trip was to the Izamal, the yellow city. This cheerful little town is the home of Kinich, one of Mexico’s TOP restaurants for Mayan cuisine (cochinita pibil anyone?)…
Merida is the capital of Yucatan and full of surprises! Lots here to steal our hearts, including the Korean Immigration Museum, Luis de Galvez Market, and the free art exhibit at City Hall…
