In preparation for my impending trip to Cairo, I am not only creatively managing the limited space in my world traveler bag, but I am also meticulously selecting food options for the next couple of days. Why? To avoid the Pharaoh's Curse. Having unexpectedly bumped into Mr. Pharaoh's cousin in Damas...

Being the "ass"-essor that I am, I can confidently say that if you are Lebanese and you have ass, you are an exception to the rule.  Perhaps it's this "Phonecian" etno-ancestrial identification/blood that they so proudly tout over any claims to "Arab-ness" that is the cause of unfortunate a-posteri...

So I just missed my flight by a few minutes due to some dumbness, and after some messing around managed to get in touch with the booking office in Manila and reschedule for Sunday’s flight. There is a penalty/rebooking fee but only around $100, which basically cancels out the discount I’...

If you take anything away from my travels, be sure it’s the fact that you always need to end a trip with a good dinner. And in Mobile, Ala., the hard part is choosing exactly at what restaurant to enjoy your last meal. For me, it was the Original Oyster House.  Located off the Causeway (t...

Chiang Mai is a small town, tucked away, near the forests and mountains of Northern Thailand, only a couple of hours away from Thailand's border with Myanmar and Laos. Our few days in Chiang Mai were to include a trip to Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle (where River Mekong separates Thailand, Myan...

Bangkok was alright. It certainly did not stir in me, what Cairo, Istanbul and Jerusalem did. And neither did it feel comfortable, as Hong Kong did. It was just alright. We landed in Bangkok on Friday (23rd Jan) night and by the time we made it to our Hostel it was almost 11 PM. The hostel was great...

May 26 th 2008, Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul from Bombay. For I must be traveling on, now, there's too many places I've got to see. Six months ago I decided that if I did not travel after finishing the damn degree, I would regret it every single leave-counting working day of my life. Not that...

Ghost Train To The Eastern Star by Paul Theroux Paul Theroux has written an immensely readable sequel to The Great Railway Bazaar, repeating that railway journey from Europe to Asia and back which earned him fame and fortune more than 30 years ago. It is bursting with people and places, rich in inde...

We've moseyed down to the beach near Hua Hin for the long weekend. It's the King of Thailand's Birthday and along with that Father's Day. I've got too much work to do it's true but one of the points of this new transition was to have more time to do nothing. Nothing is hard to adjust to however, wan...

We had a wonderful evening with architect Pandelis Iatroudakis, who showed us the pedestrian zone in the most ancient part of Athens. We wandered through the warm evening, past the Acropolis, and then to a non-tourist-oriented restaurant. There he selected Greek dishes we've never had back home ...