Alas! There is internet here, but no more iPhone :( I woke up at 6:30 this morning to repack my bag so things were more organized than they were yesterday. I also had to reorganize to fit in the latex gloves and toiletry bag I bought yesterday. By 8:30 I was all done! Today was also filled with more early morning running around Sac for last minu...

Hello Everyone! Allen and I are quite excited about our travelogue and we hope it keeps everyone well informed of our adventures. We fly out tomorrow morning at 7am...which means a 4am walk to the L in Logan Square! We are flying from Chicago to Dallas and then 13 hours to Tokyo. We will be in Tokyo until the 30th and then on to Bangkok. Please ...

Hello all Just found the time to sit and write our review of the Island. I do intend to post a few more reviews detailing our experience. Here is a briefing; The Island: Very lush, green in February with great sunshine. It is a hilly / mountainous place caught somewhere between "virgin soil - still natural" and an attempt at first world developm...

Well, I have named this list after one of my personal heroes, Frank Costanza. The Feats of Strength are my list of hikes and other such activities that I plan to complete on this trip. The ones that have ???? marks after them are hikes that I will do for sure, but which I have several options for, so I will figure them out as the time comes. The...

We met Nana's sister Olwyn and her husband Ken in Chicago. I recognised Olwyn straight away she has Nana's nose! It was really nice to stay in a house for a change and they treated us to loads of stuff-a boat ride on the river, dinner, a visit to the Tutankahmun exhibit at the Field Museum. We also met Olwyn's daughter Tracy and her crazy kids f...

It's Sunday morning, and in like an hour and a half the busses leave for the airport for our flight to Ukraine. It's been a jam-packed 2 days! Yesterday we had to be in a meeting from 8:30 in the morning til 6 in the evening. But luckily the guy running the show was very lively and entertaining, so the time flew by. There are 116 of us volunteer...

Well, my flight left for Montreal without much delay. I had everything packed (so I thought) and I was nervous. I didn't want to get stuck in Canada for a night. Its no way to begin a trip. We got to Montreal early enough to visit the Maple Leaf Lounge before my connection left 3 hours later. The lounge was awesome. Much better then most Red Car...

Arrived in Chicago late at night but because of time difference that didn't really matter. We had a typical American calorie-loaded supper and got soaked when we returned to our motel. This was followed by a few days of sight-seeing: we went to see Willow Creek Community Church, Sears Tower and some other places. Amazing. Very American but memor...

Traveling affects your state of mind. I guess today my first depression hit me. No crazy things going on like in NY, incredibly nice but all too sane a place. I walked the streets for six hours today, which was alright. Hostel tips, here we come. When it comes to hostels, it is vital that you pick one with a kitchen. Bring a marker just in case,...

Our last day in Chicago... I rose early and wasn't tired. The prospect of travel always gets me excited. I packed my remaining belongings and climbed in the can to go to Scott's for breakfast. He made us fresh pancakes with syrup and vanilla yogurt and strawberries. Yum! We gathered in the family room to give our community profiles. Lucky for Aa...