Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.gadling.com/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: Visiting Cirque du Soleil's Roots]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/07/02/life-nomadic-visiting-cirque-du-soleils-roots/http://www.gadling.com/2009/07/02/life-nomadic-visiting-cirque-du-soleils-roots/http://www.gadling.com/2009/07/02/life-nomadic-visiting-cirque-du-soleils-roots/#commentsFiled under:



One great perk of being a nomad is that you get to see great shows all around the world that you otherwise may not have access to. I've seen Les Miserables in London, Paul Potts in Japan, and a number of shows on Broadway in New York.

Trips through Vegas, which seem to happen at least once a year, always mean seeing a Cirque du Soleil show. As you may have guessed from my previous write-up on KA, I've become a huge fan.

Although Cirque has now become a quintessential staple of Las Vegas, the troupe was originally founded in Montreal. So when I heard that a new show, Ovo, was opening in the famous Grand Chapiteau on the waterfront of Old Montreal, I knew I had to go. Luckily I was scheduled to visit my girlfriend, also a Cirque fan, in nearby Toronto, so we made plans to head to Montreal.

After a spectacular cup of tea at nearby Ming Tao Xuan, which nearly warrants its own post, we walked through Montreal's pleasant weather to the tents.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: Visiting Cirque du Soleil's Roots

Life Nomadic: Visiting Cirque du Soleil's Roots originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cirque du solielmontrealovoThu, 02 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: Beating The Moroccan Hustle]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/06/17/life-nomadic-beating-the-moroccan-hustle/http://www.gadling.com/2009/06/17/life-nomadic-beating-the-moroccan-hustle/http://www.gadling.com/2009/06/17/life-nomadic-beating-the-moroccan-hustle/#commentsFiled under: ,



I have a lot of great things to say about Morocco, and I'll get to those soon. Today, though, I'm going to talk about an insane part of the culture that can be found everywhere from Tangier to Marakkech: the hustle.

As a visitor who doesn't speak the language, I'm only really able to interact with a small percentage of the population. Of those people I interacted with, I'd say that a good ninety percent of them are full fledged hustlers.

What do I mean by hustlers? I mean people who are hell bent on getting money from you, whether it's through lying, aggressive salesmanship, or cheating. They don't cross that fine line from cheating to stealing, though.

The biggest scam is the outright price change. We became so used to this one that as shocking as it was the first time it happened, we had come to expect it by the end. Here's a real life example of how it works:

The Price Bump

Determined to ride camels in the desert, we hired a taxi driver to take us seven hours south of Fez to the edge of the desert. On the way we made phone calls to different tour companies and arranged for a one night camel ride into the desert, including lodging, food, and return by minibus to Marrakech the next day. Already brutally familiar with the Price Bump, we three times clearly articulated how much we were to pay, 300 Dirhams each, and what we were to receive.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: Beating The Moroccan Hustle

Life Nomadic: Beating The Moroccan Hustle originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cameldesertMarakkechMoroccopricesWed, 17 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: Building the Ideal Country]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/06/05/life-nomadic-building-the-ideal-country/http://www.gadling.com/2009/06/05/life-nomadic-building-the-ideal-country/http://www.gadling.com/2009/06/05/life-nomadic-building-the-ideal-country/#commentsFiled under:

As I travel I build up this myth of the perfect country that I'll someday discover, move to, and give up traveling for. Some countries do things SO RIGHT that it's hard to fathom how other countries can do it so wrong.

To get the world moving in the direction, I'm posting -- free of charge -- the blueprint for a new country that does everything perfectly. Let's call it Gadlingland.

Police of Panama

The police in Panama are great. They're friendly and helpful, they seem to a good job of deterring crime, and when you do get caught slightly on the wrong side of the law, they treat you with respect and accept small bribes. An example: I decided to "surf" on the roof of the car crossing the Bridge of the Americas. They laughed about it when they stopped me, took a $15 bribe, and then cleared a lane of oncoming traffic for us to drive across the bridge in!

Tokyo police are a close second. They're just as friendly and are too polite to stop you for minor infractions like riding your bike like a maniac.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: Building the Ideal Country

Life Nomadic: Building the Ideal Country originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best ofBestOfhong kongmoroccoparistaiwanFri, 05 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: Fringe Time]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/05/15/life-nomadic-fringe-time/http://www.gadling.com/2009/05/15/life-nomadic-fringe-time/http://www.gadling.com/2009/05/15/life-nomadic-fringe-time/#commentsFiled under:

One of my favorite parts of traveling is something that, if you're like me, you may not even consider until you actually become a nomad. I love the fringe time, the extra hours surrounding normal life which become a lot more interesting when you're in a foreign city.

An example: a couple days ago I spent the day working at my favorite UK restaurant, Inspiral (amazing veg food). I met a couple fellow nomad friends there for early lunch, and we spent the day working by the window overlooking the canal, waiting to be hungry enough for dinner. In between our two meals there we considered what we ought to do after dinner.

In our home cities, our options would be limited. We would have already done everything really exciting, so second tier activities like watching a movie or going for tea would be the likely options. Boring. But London is relatively unexplored and exciting, so we ended up going to see Les Miserables, one of the greatest musicals of all time.

Not a bad way to end the work day.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: Fringe Time

Life Nomadic: Fringe Time originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 15 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>long termtimeFri, 15 May 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: Coping With a Travel Disaster]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/05/06/life-nomadic-coping-with-a-travel-disaster/http://www.gadling.com/2009/05/06/life-nomadic-coping-with-a-travel-disaster/http://www.gadling.com/2009/05/06/life-nomadic-coping-with-a-travel-disaster/#commentsFiled under: ,

I hold a strong belief that any bad situation can be turned into a good one. The thing about this belief is that it's only true if you believe it. It's easy to think this when everything's going swimmingly, but when plans get derailed and blow up in your face, it gets put to the test. Case in point, here's a situation I found myself in recently:

  • I got mugged and was robbed of my passport
  • The embassy promised to get me my passport before my 14 day transatlantic cruise left
  • They didn't get it to me in time, so the boat left without me.

Imagine that. I'm stuck in Santo Domingo and my ride to England is sailing away without me, putting a serious body of water in between me and my British plans.

Step one: deep breath. Step two: examine options. There's the boring option of flying straight into Saint Maarten two days later. It's the ship's only stop before the five day transatlantic push, and a call to the cruise line confirms that I can meet them there and get on the ship. Almost as bad as being boring, it's expensive. Five hundred thirty seven dollars for a one way ticket.

I could book it and make it on the ship, but that's not turning a bad situation good; it's just turning a bad situation into a solved situation. I check a map of the Caribbean and notice that there are a few islands near Saint Maarten. Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla. I'd never even heard of Anguilla before, but a quick check online offers a $325 fare from Santo Domingo.

That's the kind of situation I like. Two hundred twelve dollars cheaper than my only other option means that if I can spend less than that and turn it into an adventure, I've come out ahead. The ferry between the two islands seems to cost only twenty dollars, which is all the US currency I have in my pocket. That's enough confirmation for me; I book the ticket to Anguilla, which should give me a full 19 hours from landing to boat departure to make my way to the cruise ship.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: Coping With a Travel Disaster

Life Nomadic: Coping With a Travel Disaster originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 06 May 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anguilladisastermissing a cruise shipMissingACruiseShipsaint martinSaintMartinst marteenStMarteenWed, 06 May 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: Tynan's Top Ten Cruise Tips]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/24/life-nomadic-tynans-top-ten-cruise-tips/http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/24/life-nomadic-tynans-top-ten-cruise-tips/http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/24/life-nomadic-tynans-top-ten-cruise-tips/#commentsFiled under: ,


Ahoy! Here's a quick followup on my last post about cruising, posted from Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas. I've been on a bunch of cruises now, and have come up with a few tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your cruise.

1. If you're really into safety, go to the "mandatory" lifeboat safety drill. If you've been to one before or think that you can handle following the green arrows and putting on your life vest, stay inside your cabin. They don't actually check names or your cabin to make sure you go.

2. Never go on official shore excursions. If you just walk off the ship you'll find lines of touts waiting to give you the same thing for half the price, usually with more flexibility if you want something slightly different. Walk past the touts and you'll usually find stores offering the same tours for 25-30% of the cruise line quoted price.

3. When choosing your cabin, choose one near the stairwells and elevators. You'll be making that walk many times every day.

4. At dinner you can order as many things off the menu as you want, not just one appetizer, salad, and entree. My record is 31 plates divided between a friend and I.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: Tynan's Top Ten Cruise Tips

Life Nomadic: Tynan's Top Ten Cruise Tips originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fnilife nomadiclifenomadicFri, 24 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: Luxury Cruise Ships at Hostel Prices]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/21/life-nomadic-luxury-cruise-ships-at-hostel-prices/http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/21/life-nomadic-luxury-cruise-ships-at-hostel-prices/http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/21/life-nomadic-luxury-cruise-ships-at-hostel-prices/#commentsFiled under: , ,


When I was a kid, my breakfast cereal of choice was Kellog's Corn Flakes. The back of the box, which I relied on for breakfast-time entertainmant, sometimes had contests to win cruises on Carnival Cruise lines. I guess advertising works, because since then I had always wanted to go on a cruise.

I had no idea how much cruises cost. I never saw prices advertised, so I assumed that they were like first class air travel - too expensive to actually consider.

As I found out many years later, cruises aren't expensive at all. In fact, if you know what you're doing, you can stay and eat on a luxury cruise ship for less than a hostel.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: Luxury Cruise Ships at Hostel Prices

Life Nomadic: Luxury Cruise Ships at Hostel Prices originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carnivalcruisefniocean linerocean travelOceanLinerOceanTravelTue, 21 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: The Art of Getting Mugged]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/15/life-nomadic-the-art-of-getting-mugged/http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/15/life-nomadic-the-art-of-getting-mugged/http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/15/life-nomadic-the-art-of-getting-mugged/#commentsFiled under: , ,




After a safe return from Haiti, universally advertised as too dangerous to visit, my opinion on danger was stronger than ever. Everyone blows danger way out of proportion, and if you walk around confidently without being flashy, no one is going to rob you.

Here in Santo Domingo I eat at the same restaurant, Ananda, every night. It's an amazing vegetarian restaurant that bears a startling resemblance to my favorite restaurant in Austin, Texas (Casa de Luz). It's an eleven minute walk away through the main roads, or a ten minute walk with a shortcut.

The shortcut goes through the scariest little alley I've ever seen. The buildings on it are crumbling, it's covered with trash, there are no streetlights, and just to make it a little more spooky, one side of it borders an overcrowded cemetery. Worse, the alley is a series of three sharp angles that make it hidden from nearby streets.

I liked walking through the alley. It made me feel tough, and I was proud to not have the same irrational fears that everyone else seems to have.

As it turned out, those fears weren't quite so irrational. After the eight hour bus ride from Haiti I was starving, so I started walking towards the restaurant. At this point I'd gone through the alley so much that I didn't even think about it. Two twenty-something-year-olds were walking towards me. I moved a bit to the right to pass them, but one went to one side of me and the other went on the other side.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: The Art of Getting Mugged

Life Nomadic: The Art of Getting Mugged originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fnihaitilife nomadicLifeNomadicmuggedmuggingtynanWed, 15 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: What Couchsurfing in Haiti is Like]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/13/life-nomadic-what-couchsurfing-in-haiti-is-like/http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/13/life-nomadic-what-couchsurfing-in-haiti-is-like/http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/13/life-nomadic-what-couchsurfing-in-haiti-is-like/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I'd never been to Haiti and I'd never tried couchsurfing, but since Haiti was just a $75 bus ride away ($67 if you have the foresight to pay in Pesos), I felt like I had no choice but to try it.

A search for couches in Port Au Prince yielded a few pages of results, with Natacha and Charlene showing up at the top. The site said that they both replied to almost all of the requests, and each offered a couch for up to two weeks. I e-mailed Charlene first because she has a son and I love kids.

Charlene wrote back the same day and said to let her know what dates I wanted to come. I replied back with a weekend and she said she'd be expecting me. It was so easy and painless that I wondered if it would actually work.

I had lingering worries in the back of my mind. Haiti was supposed to be a pretty dangerous place, so if she changed her mind at the last minute, I might be stranded. Besides, we all know that everyone on the internet is a demented weirdo (except for me). How much weirder do you have to be to invite strangers into your home for weeks at a time?

After a long scenic bus ride, I arrived in Haiti. I took a taxi through the unlit streets and arrived in front of a night club, where Charlene's sister was waiting for me.

"Charlene is at Toastmasters. Come with me."

Continue reading Life Nomadic: What Couchsurfing in Haiti is Like

Life Nomadic: What Couchsurfing in Haiti is Like originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>couch surfingCouchSurfinghaitiMon, 13 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: Fifteen Essential Tips for Panama]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/31/life-nomadic-fifteen-essential-tips-for-panama/http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/31/life-nomadic-fifteen-essential-tips-for-panama/http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/31/life-nomadic-fifteen-essential-tips-for-panama/#commentsFiled under: ,



Only a week remains in my two month stay in Panama, so I thought it would be useful to condense everything I've learned here to make it easier for future travelers.

Panama City is one of my favorite places in the world. It's a perfect blend of "frontier spirit", as Todd calls it, comfortable city life, good prices, and nearby cities and towns to explore. In list form, here are my recommendations for Panama:

1. When in Panama City, check out Casco Viejo before you decide on a place to stay. It's a two dollar cab ride from anything in the city and it feels like a totally different country. Manolo Caracol, located in Casco Viejo, is considered to be the best restaurant in Panama, despite only costing $20 for the prix fixe menu.

2. The best place to go outside of Panama City is Boquete. The weather is cool, there's tons to do, and it's the total opposite of Panama City - perfect for a break.

3. Grocery shopping in Panama City is excellent. El Rey, Super 99, and Riba Smith are the main grocery stores. Riba Smith has the best selection of healthy foods and American and European imports. Organica, located in Paitilla, is an expensive store that has even more health food imports.

4. Don't try to live in Paitilla or Pacifica. These are the the super gringo areas, which sounds like a good thing but isn't. Cangrejo, Marbella, Bella Vista, and Obarrio are the best areas downtown. I personally wouldn't want to stay anywhere farther out, except for Casco Viejo from #1.

5. Don't pick up Taxis in front of hotels or malls. Walk down the street. If you ask the price, they know they can rip you off. If they try to barter the price up front, they're trying to rip you off. Get in the car, and pay $2 for the ride as long as it's within downtown.

6. Try patacones. They're delicious fried plantain chips.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: Fifteen Essential Tips for Panama

Life Nomadic: Fifteen Essential Tips for Panama originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bocasboqueteorganicapanamapanama cityPanamaCityTue, 31 Mar 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: How Much Does it Cost to Be a Nomad?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/17/life-nomadic-how-much-does-it-cost-to-be-a-nomad/http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/17/life-nomadic-how-much-does-it-cost-to-be-a-nomad/http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/17/life-nomadic-how-much-does-it-cost-to-be-a-nomad/#commentsFiled under: ,

Tynan and Todd getting fitted for tuxes in Bangkok

One of the big barriers between most people and becoming a nomad is money. It sounds expensive. Most questions I get about it have to do with affording the trips.

Here's the big secret: being a nomad is not expensive. In fact, without knowing how much money you spend monthly, I can confidently say that you can probably comfortably become a nomad and spend less.

I don't have exact numbers, but I'd say that Todd and I each average spending under $3000 per month. That includes everything including lodging, airfare, food, entertainment, and small gear purchases along the way.

There's a big difference between "cheaply" and traveling "cheaply and well". I have little interest in eating ramen in a hostel or taking buses across the country.

That's backpacking. Nothing wrong with that, but being a nomad is different.

The key is not treat it like a vacation. Many people spend money outrageously "because I'm on vacation". Life Nomadic is a lifestyle that's intended to be sustainable.

One big advantage the nomad has is that he has no expenses back home. The tourist is paying nightly for a hotel, but he's also paying rent, electricity, and cable back home.

That's like trying to pay for two lives at once.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: How Much Does it Cost to Be a Nomad?

Life Nomadic: How Much Does it Cost to Be a Nomad? originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>budgetcostfinancefnilife nomadicLifeNomadicmoneynomadTue, 17 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: The Wonders of Boquete, Panama]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/11/life-nomadic-the-wonders-of-boquete-panama/http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/11/life-nomadic-the-wonders-of-boquete-panama/http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/11/life-nomadic-the-wonders-of-boquete-panama/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We woke up the next morning, eager to see what Boquete looked like. We spent all day driving there from Panama City the day before, but by the time we got there it was too dark to see anything.

"Wow. It's paradise here."

It was. Whenever I imagine paradise, I think of a white sand beach with perfect blue water. But then when I get to such a beach, I get sick of it within hours and want to leave.

This was different. Boquete is in the Panama highlands and is bordered on two sides by mountains. The result is year round perfect temperatures (if not perfect weather), and the feeling of being nestled in some secret valley.

My first thought was of Galt Gulch from Atlas Shrugged. It was exactly how I had imagined Ayn Rand's utopia.

If you go to Boquete, and you really should, I recommend staying at Hostel Nomba. I'm normally not much of a fan of hostels, but Nomba was really clean, everyone there was friendly, the location was perfect, and the owner, Ryan, was unbelievably helpful.

A lot of people had cars around town, but we also noticed that some people had horses instead. I'm not talking about horses for recreation, I'm talking about daily driver horses for transportation. They tied them up outside of cafes, just like a cowboy might.

Neither Todd nor I had ridden horses in ages, but we decided that we absolutely had to find some horses to ride.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: The Wonders of Boquete, Panama

Life Nomadic: The Wonders of Boquete, Panama originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animal rescueAnimalRescueboquetehorseback ridingHorsebackRidinghot springsHotSpringsmountainswildlifeWed, 11 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: How Airport Metal Detectors Work]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/05/life-nomadic-how-airport-metal-detectors-work/http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/05/life-nomadic-how-airport-metal-detectors-work/http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/05/life-nomadic-how-airport-metal-detectors-work/#commentsFiled under: ,


I'm a bit fanatical about shaving. Most of my possessions are pared down to the bare minimum, but my shaving stuff is the one big exception. I use a Merkur travel safety razor with Merkur platinum coated blades, a Dovo silver tip shaving brush, and Truefitt and Hill shaving cream.

Excessive, I know.

The blades that the razor uses are standard "safety razor" blades. They're thin pieces of metal with a blade on each side. That sounds like something that the TSA would possibly prohibit, but in fact they don't. They mention them specifically in their rules.



They prohibit "Razor-Type Blades - such as box cutters, utility knives, razor blades not in a cartridge, but excluding safety razors."

Clearly, safety razors are permitted. This is consistent with my experience, too. I'm almost invariably selected for further screening. TSA agents see my razor blades and move on.

And somehow I've managed to resist any temptation to hijack a plane with them so far.

In New York a few weeks ago, things were different. The TSA agent didn't like my razor blades. I insisted that the TSA rules permitted the blades. Things got escalated to the supervisor, an icy woman named Gohel.

"I specifically checked the TSA site and saw that these are allowed. Can we please look over the rules together?"

Gohel told me in clear language that the blades would not be allowed on the plane, and that, no, I could not look at the TSA rules with her. No amount of friendly yet firm pleading would change her mind.

The blades were taken.

I anticipated that this might happen, so I came up with a way to pass small metal objects through the metal detector. I doubt any serious weapon could possibly make it through, but it's great insurance for those worried that poorly trained TSA agents will confiscate items you're legally permitted to carry on.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: How Airport Metal Detectors Work

Life Nomadic: How Airport Metal Detectors Work originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>metal detectorMetalDetectorsecuritysuperfnitravel-tipstsaThu, 05 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: The Pan Panama Road Trip Begins!]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/02/25/life-nomadic-the-pan-panama-road-trip-begins/http://www.gadling.com/2009/02/25/life-nomadic-the-pan-panama-road-trip-begins/http://www.gadling.com/2009/02/25/life-nomadic-the-pan-panama-road-trip-begins/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The best adventures are the unexpected ones.

We sat at La Novena, an amazing Vegetarian restaurant on Via Argentina in Panama City. We order the same thing every time. Soup of the day, avocado salad for me, almond and pear salad for Todd, and whole wheat pasta with eggplant and tomato. We ordered it so much last year that when we returned the chef already knew exactly what we wanted.

After a predictably amazing dinner we stood in front of the kitchen chatting with the chef, Arturo. He used to be an engineer, and it shows in his meticulous preparation of the food.

Next to him was one of his employees, chipping away at the shells of dark brown beans, putting the cleaned bean in a small tupperware container.

"Que hace ella?"

And that's when our education on the making of chocalate began. From a town near the Costa Rican border, called Al Mirante, came the raw cacao beans. Then they fermented them, roasted them, chipped away the shells, and ground them into cocoa powder.

Amazing. Todd and I are huge fans of dark chocolate. Anything above 85%. Can we try one of the beans?

The beans were delicious. We'd had both tried packaged cocoa nibs back in the states, but this was something different. They were barely bitter, just an overpowering chocolate explosion with a subtle fruity flavor.

We were hooked. Arturo put some of the beans in a cup for us to take home and Todd and I resolved to make the twelve hour drive to Al Mirante try to visit a chocolate plantation.

After dinner we headed to an internet cafe. A quick search revealed that Thrifty would rent us a car for only $8.10 a day.

"At that price, let's just get the thing for two weeks and go everywhere."

"Yup."

[video after the jump]

Continue reading Life Nomadic: The Pan Panama Road Trip Begins!

Life Nomadic: The Pan Panama Road Trip Begins! originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>al miranteAlMiranteboquetepanamaroad tripRoadTripsuperfniWed, 25 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: Traveling without Planning]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/02/13/life-nomadic-traveling-without-planning/http://www.gadling.com/2009/02/13/life-nomadic-traveling-without-planning/http://www.gadling.com/2009/02/13/life-nomadic-traveling-without-planning/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ahh, and we're back. After a semi-hiatus of a few months, Todd and I are back to the full nomad lifestyle. I say semi-hiatus because within those four months we both spent a good amount of our time traveling around the US, Mexico, and Canada. And even when I was in Austin, where my family and most friends are, I lived in a 21' RV on the side of the road.

Once a nomad, always a nomad?

Our trip this year is going to be very different from last year, but our first stop is the same as last year's first stop: Panama.

I'm not sure why exactly we chose Panama last year, but this year we chose it because we'd fallen in love with the country. The people are universally friendly and warm, as is the weather, the food is dirt cheap and amazing, and there's no shortage of adventure to be found.



Not to mention that Todd and I are both nearing fluency in Spanish and Panamanian Spanish is actually known for being very clear.

One hallmark of our trips is that we usually don't plan much. We often go to a city with no place to stay and no plans, assuming we'll figure it out once we get there. That's probably where our mantra, "everything always works out" comes in.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: Traveling without Planning

Life Nomadic: Traveling without Planning originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-travelairportcotlife nomadicLifeNomadicluxury liteLuxuryLitepanamasleepsleep-smartersuperfnitocumentoddtravel-smartertynanFri, 13 Feb 2009 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Life Nomadic: Welcome to Life Nomadic]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/02/10/life-nomadic-welcome-to-life-nomadic/http://www.gadling.com/2009/02/10/life-nomadic-welcome-to-life-nomadic/http://www.gadling.com/2009/02/10/life-nomadic-welcome-to-life-nomadic/#commentsFiled under: ,

The border agent was very suspicious of me.

"Where's your luggage?"

"I don't have any."

"Do you have a return ticket?"

"No, but I have a ticket to Panama for next week."

"Where do you live?"

This never goes over well.

"Well, nowhere, really..."

And it's true. The closest thing I have to a home is a 21 foot RV that I park on the street and live in when I'm in Austin, Texas for a few months every year.

Last year my friend Todd and I made the decision to become modern day nomads and make the wonders of the world the backdrop for our every day lives.

Continue reading Life Nomadic: Welcome to Life Nomadic

Life Nomadic: Welcome to Life Nomadic originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>around the worldAroundTheWorldlife nomadicLifeNomadicnomadsuperfnitoddtynanTue, 10 Feb 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A Different Side of Vegas]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/10/24/a-different-side-of-vegas/http://www.gadling.com/2008/10/24/a-different-side-of-vegas/http://www.gadling.com/2008/10/24/a-different-side-of-vegas/#commentsFiled under: ,

What I love about Las Vegas is that it has the capacity to be whatever you want it to be. Alcohol soaked bachelor party? Check. Romantic honeymoon? Check. Terrifying ride to wealth? Well, maybe if you're lucky.

I just got back from a long weekend in Vegas with my girlfriend and saw a side of the city that I hadn't seen. A more relaxed, comfortable, and satisfying side. Here are the highlights:

The Signature at MGM

I've stayed at and enjoyed the MGM before, but this was a totally new experience.

There are no regular rooms in the Signature. Every room is a suite. What I particularly appreciated was how thoroughly the suite was appointed.

The kitchen has a large Sub Zero fridge, Miele appliances, and most important: every kitchen utensil you can imagine. Calphalon pots and pans, high quality flatware and silverware, measuring cups, baking sheets, and even a blender.

Continue reading A Different Side of Vegas

A Different Side of Vegas originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cirque du soleilCirqueDuSoleillas vegasLasVegasluxorluxurymgmshowvegasFri, 24 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Crossing the Atlantic in the Queen Mary 2]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/09/14/crossing-the-atlantic-in-the-queen-mary-2/http://www.gadling.com/2008/09/14/crossing-the-atlantic-in-the-queen-mary-2/http://www.gadling.com/2008/09/14/crossing-the-atlantic-in-the-queen-mary-2/#commentsFiled under:

When I travel I try to cover as many superlatives as possible. The world's tallest building (Taipei 101 for now), the longest tunnel (connecting mainland Japan with Hokkaido), the slowest train in the world.

So when I was trying to figure out how to get from Europe back to the United States, there was only one choice. The grandest choice. A seven day journey aboard the famed Queen Mary 2.

The Queen Mary 2, for those who don't know, is Cunard's flagship ocean liner. She was specially built for trans-Atlantic cruises, an effort which required a laundry list of technological breakthroughs. Even five years after her maiden voyage, she's still the longest passenger ship in the world. She's also the widest, which means she can't make it through the Panama Canal.

Boarding the ship was the easiest cruise boarding experience I've had. Things were off to a good start, although a warning bell went off in my head when a mandatory picture was taken before getting on board.

Was this going to be a regular cruise, just trumped up a bit to seem more fancy?

Continue reading Crossing the Atlantic in the Queen Mary 2

Crossing the Atlantic in the Queen Mary 2 originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 14 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boatcruisequeen maryqueen mary 2QueenMaryQueenMary2shiptransatlanticSun, 14 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gadling Gear: Vibram Five Fingers]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/08/14/gadling-gear-vibram-five-fingers/http://www.gadling.com/2008/08/14/gadling-gear-vibram-five-fingers/http://www.gadling.com/2008/08/14/gadling-gear-vibram-five-fingers/#commentsFiled under:


Ultralight packing is the constant quest for perfection. Each item put away in the bag must be outrageously useful, versatile, small, and light. That rules out almost everything.

And for a while, the ultimate shoes escaped me. Sandals are light and small, but not versatile. I couldn't run or hike with them.

I had some gore tex trail running shoes that I liked, but they weren't light and small. They were fairly versatile, but were a disaster at the beach.

For a long time I carried two pairs of shoes. One in the backpack and one on my feet. Not perfect, but not bad.

Then I stumbled across the perfect pair of shoes by accident. My travel mate bought a pair during a brief stopover in LA.

Vibram Five Fingers.

Continue reading Gadling Gear: Vibram Five Fingers

Gadling Gear: Vibram Five Fingers originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredfootwearhikingrunningshoessneakersvibramThu, 14 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sixteen Tips To Pack Super Light]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/08/11/sixteen-tips-to-pack-super-light/http://www.gadling.com/2008/08/11/sixteen-tips-to-pack-super-light/http://www.gadling.com/2008/08/11/sixteen-tips-to-pack-super-light/#commentsFiled under:

Welcome back. Last time I talked about how and why to pack light. Today I present to you a list of my best packing tips that I've developed while living out of a 28 liter bag for the past seven months going around the globe.
  1. Keep the things you'll need first or most often near the tops of the bag. If you use the Deuter 28 you have two openings for this.
  2. Leave spare batteries in their chargers.
  3. Use the side water bottle holders to hold more than water bottles. I keep my computer charger bag (which also has a tiny Nokia USB phone charger and tiny universal plug adapter) in one side and my TSA approved bag full of liquids in the other. That way in the airport I can go through the scan quickly and plug in my computer without digging through the bag.
  4. If your bag has two compartments like the Deuter, stuff one of them as full as possible with stuff you don't use often and leave the other one partially empty to make it easy to find stuff and to fit stuff you get along the way.
  5. Get a Kiva collapsible backpack and clip it to the front of your bag. It's perfect for carrying around a camera or jacket.
  6. Use every last bit of space. Put everything you want to pack on your bed, and pack big things first. Then look for an appropriately sized little thing to jam into every nook and cranny created by the big thing.
  7. Take a look at your 3-4 biggest space eaters and see if there's a significantly smaller version that will get the job done. Jackets and sleeping bags are easy candidates (modern good sleeping bags can fit in your water bottle holder if a silk liner isn't going to be thorough enough for you).
  8. Don't bring a pillow. Inflate an Aloksak partially and put it inside your fleece instead.
  9. Wear your bulkiest stuff on travel days.
  10. If you have a lot of room left over in your bag, get a smaller bag! Don't fill yours up just to use it.
  11. Don't bring a sleeping pad. A Luxury Lite cot is smaller, much more comfortable, and more versatile.
  12. Fold jackets to the width of your bag and then roll them as tightly as possible.
  13. Never bring cotton clothes. They aren't warm, they dry slowly, they get dirty quickly, and they absorb odor. Wool is the exact opposite, but is still cool enough to run or workout in.
  14. Bring as few clothes as possible. No one will notice or care that you wear the same shirts every few days. That's not what traveling is about.
  15. If you're going to poor countries, bring balloons as souveniers to give away to kids. They're tiny and kids love them.
  16. Don't lose stuff like I do. Double check for all your stuff before you go.
As a bonus, here's a video of me packing my bag:

Sixteen Tips To Pack Super Light originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flash packingFlashPackingpackingultra light packingUltraLightPackingMon, 11 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST