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The F-Bomb Heard Around the World (Heritage Site)
*Warning* This is a PG-13 post – perhaps even R-rated. But, it is funny. Read at your own risk. Allow me to set the scene for you: “Petra by Night” is a thrice weekly event with performances by Bedouin...
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The 12 Times (That I know of) That I’ve been Severely Ripped-Off, Robbed,...
1. The time I was pick-pocketed in the Roman metro. I was packed into a crowded carriage on the Roman metro during rush hour, and as the train pulled into a stop, a young gypsy girl – maybe...
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4 Tips for Surviving the Most Dangerous Part of 3rd World Country Travel
When I travel to “scary” third-world countries, my parents worry. They envision me kidnapped by Jihadists, murdered by drug lords or held captive by a rogue government and forced to pay a ransom for my...
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Political Cartoons from Cuba, year 2003
One of the benefits of travel is that it exposes us to different points of view, serves to educate us. Ten years ago, during the run-up to the American-led war in Iraq, I was traveling in Central...
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Hiking is an Absurd Activity
A year ago I hiked the 9-mile length of the Triple Lakes Trail in Denali National Park, starting at the Visitor Center and ending at my cabin. I had no idea how grueling it was going to be. I also had...
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What it is Like to Stay in a Hostel – An Illustrated Account
Before I got married, I used to stay in the cheapest dorms possible. Cleanliness, safety, and character took a backseat to price. One of the best aspects of traveling married is that I no longer have...
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6 Reasons I Am Proud to be An American When I Travel Overseas
“Did you experience any problems being an American?” This is one of the most common questions I get from people when returning from traveling overseas. The answer: absolutely not. We have been treated...
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On Life Without a Travel Guide Book
We got off the ferry in Rhodes, fought our way through immigration (amid a horde of Turks and Greeks who evidently didn’t understand how to queue) and emerged into Greece. I went to pull out my trusty...
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Looping for Grandy: The Movie Trailer
It started as a few drawings to show my co-workers what it was like. It became art therapy, a way to release my frustrations and anger, a way to keep sane. A few years ago, I worked at a golf course in...
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INFOGRAPHIC: My Thoughts During the Ill-Fated Portage Glacier Expedition
On Monday I wrote 900 words about two hikes I went on to Portage Glacier. In summary, I took off on a spontaneous hike on my own and I was defeated by my fears of the wild. After publishing it, I...
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Bear Spray Stories Part 1: The Golden Grizzly Award
The other day I was having a drink with a park ranger, a man who drove tour buses in Denali for 30 years and a veteran of the Alaska tourism industry. The conversation turned to bear spray and the...
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Bear Spray Stories Part II: Almost Killed by Puppies
Welcome to part II of the bear spray stories. If you haven’t read part one, I’d recommend doing it now so this will make more sense. To recap, I was in a dive bar in Anchorage talking to a park ranger,...
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Bear Spray Stories Part 3: Tear Gas
Did you know that bear spray is not only effective in thwarting attacks from charging bears, but it is also effective in clearing a building of tourists? Welcome to part 3 of the “Bear Spray Stories.”...
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Travel Day, or The Bromo Bus Scam, or Viva La Revolucion
The travel day is a neglected day for travel bloggers and writers. We almost always focus on the major sites – the big events that photograph well and make our friends and family jealous. We rarely...
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Bear Spray Stories Part 4: Marinated Meatballs
When the park rangers arrived, they found a man in the river screaming and crying with the intensity usually associated with a man who just watched his entire family slaughtered by a drug cartel. The...
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What Happens When You Need a Plunger at a Hotel
I was naive. When I first accepted a job in the tourism industry 10 years ago, I thought that everyone was happy when they traveled. I imagined being behind the customer service counter having...
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We are going to MEXICO! or Righting a Past Travel Wrong
“You know son, since 9-11 they don’t let you carry weapons on airplanes anymore.” My dad said this to me in January of 2003, the night before I was to depart to Guatemala. Hitherto this moment, he...
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The James Louie Speed Walking Tour of Hong Kong
Before visiting Hong Kong, I got a message from fellow blogger James Louie – A native of HK and one of five followers of my blog. He’d seen that we planned to visit his hometown and offered to show us...
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Bear Spray Stories Part 5: Invaded Campsite
Since I published the first bear spray story last year, I have had dozens of friends and strangers tell me their own stories of bear spray mishaps or send me links to bear spray accidents in the news....
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The Alien Invasion, or the Early Work of a Precocious Cartoonist
Regulars of Planet Bell have no doubt been amazed by some of the original artwork featured on this blog, all drawn by me, a man in his 30s. I am a very precocious drawer. Just look at some of these...
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