I typically don't give much heed to the means by which I travel; so long as I make it from A to B, I am satisfied (except for that one time). And I generally don't like airplanes (manned flight is nothing short of sorcery). Despite Japan's being connected by an incredible railway system, the
Off To Nepal (And Certain Death)
I have already presented "The Ultimate Everest Base Camp Plan" and my exhaustive "Everest Base Camp Gear List", so now if (when) something goes wrong out there and I come back with a bag carrying me instead of the other way around, you can't blame it on recklessness or lack of
Everest Base Camp Gear List
Just days away from my departure in search of Everest Base Camp I have started getting together all that will be accompanying me to the land of Earth's tallest peaks. This will be my first time backpacking during the winter months and much of my gear has yet to be tested outside the small
The Ultimate Everest Base Camp Plan
NOTE: Since writing this post I have returned from Everest Base camp and answered all the questions I had here in the post, Everest Base Camp Questions Answered! So given my complete lack of experience in what I expect the conditions of my Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek to be, I have decided to do
To Everest We Go
Japan has been great! At least that's what I tell everyone. My almost five months in the country constitute the longest consecutive period of time I have spent in one place since my departure from Brazil three years ago. I need to escape. But escape to where? I am terrible with choices, and
Garbage In Japan: The Country’s Greatest Mystery
In case you missed 11 Reasons You Will Hate Japan, one of the problems you encounter whilst gaijin-smashing your way through the country is the lack of waste receptacles, particularly garbage cans (recycling bins are far more abundant). However, this minor inconvenience encountered whilst
Climbing Up (And Pooping On) Mount Fuji (Part II)
Didn’t read Part I? Climbing Up (And Pooping On) Mount Fuji (Part I). TL;DR: I'm now sitting in the freezing cold on top of Mount Fuji waiting for the sunrise after a crowded and frustrating climb up from the fifth station. I open my eyes. Yup, just as I suspected, still dark. Have I
Photo Gallery: Kyushoku, School Lunch In Japan (給食)
Japan has granted me the opportunity to experience school lunch in a third country, on a third continent (depending on how you classify The Americas, that is). Weekdays in Japan I eat lunch at one of two junior high schools - the Japanese know this lunch as kyushoku (給食). I eat alongside
Climbing Up (And Pooping On) Mount Fuji (Part I)
At 12,388 feet (3,776 m) Mount Fuji, or Fuji-san, claims the prize of "tallest mountain in Japan". And I'm going to poop on it. Most people are familiar with images of the symmetrical, snow-capped stratovolcano set behind some perfectly reflective lake (or superimposed behind a shot of the