Author Archives: chrisgarske

What kind of person likes traveling on cruise ships?  People for whom “Unpack just once!” is an effective sales pitch. A person who wants: unlimited access to Denny’s-quality food a comfortable travel experience, as much like staying at home as … Continue reading →

One of the things I liked about India was the odd conversational style. Complete strangers were comfortable asking the most probing personal or esoteric questions. Waiting to cross a street in New Delhi, an Indian man approached me. “Excuse me, … Continue reading →

This was enough for ten months.  Travel light, if you can. You’ll be glad you did. Joy and I took a ten-month trip around the world, from August 2007 – June 2008. A rolling carry-on suitcase and a day pack … Continue reading →

I’ve hitchhiked just once in the last 28 years, when my car broke down in Big Sur. Well, actually, my car was fine but I lost my keys in the sand. I had to hitch to Nepenthe and wait for … Continue reading →

I’m getting excited about the upcoming Kauai trip. Only nine days away. A one-month experiment, to see if I might want to move there.  A land called Hanalei. For me, it’s the most beautiful place on earth.  Before I moved … Continue reading →

My first night in China there was a dinner party, in Beijing. Eleven people, eleven big dishes, plenty of beer and wine. The food was excellent. The total came to $21 – less than $2 per person. My god, I … Continue reading →

Two key moments of inspiration. The first one was a flash that said “Holy cow. This is actually possible. Normal people can do this. I had no idea.” The second flash said “Here’s how.” I had a great teacher in … Continue reading →

Ordering a coke with ice in a Nairobi cafe had been a costly mistake. Several days of intestinal distress left me weak and dizzy when my plane landed in Mumbai. On the trip, a fellow passenger told me “India will … Continue reading →

1980 – After some time working on a kibbutz, my buddies and I went camping at Nuweiba, a bedouin outpost on the Red Sea, in the Sinai desert. We lived on pita and instant hummus, oranges, dates and chocolate. I … Continue reading →

Mazda launched the Miata in 1989. Remember the buzz?  I bought a red one in 1991. It was the first and only new car I ever bought, and the only car I’ve ever really loved. I pampered that baby. In … Continue reading →