• Penang is an island off the coast of Malaysia, adjoining the Malacca Strait. Beginning in the late 1700s, it was a major trans-shipping port under British colonial rule. After WWII, it became part of the Malaysian union. It recently has been dubbed the “Silicon Valley of the East”. Singapore, Taiwan and Korea might think the […]

    Read more: Penang, Malaysia January 2019

  • I’m now traveling around Thailand by car. As my internet connections are often slow in rural Thailand, and I’m busy all day, I’m mostly putting up pictures with a few terse labels. I’m not going to try to make this a Thailand travel guide, but just share the atmosphere. You get a lot for your […]

    Read more: Thailand by car, January 2019

  • Nearly 20 years ago, Judy and I visited the Maldives, an ellipse of atolls south of India. We came to see it as one of the top 10 snorkeling destinations we had visited anywhere. Maldives trip report This year I returned with a friend to visit Vilamendhoo Island, our favorite in the Maldives. When we […]

    Read more: Maldives November 2018

  • South Kaibab trail, Grand Canyon I stood on the south rim of the Grand Canyon several years ago, and marveled at its size, complexity and beauty. I decided to see it closer by rafting down the whole length of the canyon, 224 miles. The canyon is so popular now that the National Park Service limits […]

    Read more: Grand Canyon rafting May 2018

  • I have neglected the North Island in favor of hiking down on South Island, so now I’m embarking on 3 weeks touring North Island New Zealand by car. Flying in to Auckland from Queenstown I like the Kiwi attitude towards their natural environment. I love this old downtown Auckland park for its gigantic mature trees […]

    Read more: North Island New Zealand March 2018