Is a beach just a beach?

Its no secret that San Diego has gorgeous beaches, but I have to be honest I do not take advantage of them as much as I should. Chris and I work about 2 blocks away and sadly, I almost never walk down to appreciate it. So the other day when I was telling a friend how I will be leaving for Cabo next week, they said "leaving one beach and going to another?"

So it got me thinking, is it true that what I can experience 2 blocks away is the same as flying to Mexico to spend time on an identical beach? Does it take a vacation to actually slow down to enjoy our daily scenery?

I suppose in the most simplistic terms, it is mostly the same. There is sand, water and sun, but besides that, I maintain it is completely different! I believe there is much more to travel than just scenery, it is about the overall experience. It is about that small cafe that does not exist anywhere else in the world. Or the conversation with the taxi driver that remains with you for the rest of your life.

However, that being said, I definitely understand my friends point, some people like to travel to experience the different. If your home is in the desert, the ocean is a wonderful reprieve. Personally, I think there is a time and place for both. I am super excited to be on the beach and relax, but a trip to the mountains is always welcome. So the question is what type of travel do you prefer? Do you always seek out the different, always prefer the same or do you enjoy it all? Read more...

Some Real Travel News....

Most of the time I find "travel news" pretty boring. Go to any travel section of a major news source and you'll find the oh-so-trite headlines of such scintillating things as "London's Happening Side", "Best Summer Getaways", or "Best New Hotels". Blah blah blah. And so travel news goes: The same articles recycled each season and highlighting all of the same places. I mean, who doesn't know that Hawaii has great beaches? Anyhow, enough with my rant and on to the real point: In my opinion, this week there have been three really interesting stories that truly embody interesting travel news.

As you are all aware by now, adventure travel (in its many definitions) is fascinating to me. I love when the travel envelope is pushed so to speak; partly because I always wish it were me doing it, and partly because that envelope is so hard to push nowadays. As per an earlier blog entry of ours alluded to, there aren't too many unconquered or great adventures left. So the first two articles that I am going to cite certainly caught my eye this week:

1. 16-year old attempts to be youngest to sail solo around the world: Umm.... RAD. This kid's itinerary alone is enough to make me jealous for the next week and a half, not to mention the incredible undertaking. I'm not sure what is more amazing: A solo sail around the world, or the fact that he's 16. 16! I could hardly be trusted to operate a broken down vehicle at 16, let alone a 36-foot sailboat with expensive (not to mention complicated) equipment, in the middle of high-seas, with no other human being onboard. By the way, my favorite part of this story is his Mom's proud declaration with her arm around her son that, "He's already got a gallon of teriyaki sauce." I'm pretty sure that's the least of his worries...

2. Man to spend 300 days alone on an isolated island: A French guy plans to spend 300 days with nothing more than a swiss army knife and a camera on an isolated island in the South Pacific. Crazy? Probably. But none the less, a pretty cool thing to try that certainly isn't seen nowadays. As a side note: I've been reading bloggers all day downplaying this by saying it's not a big deal, it's for publicity, it means nothing because humans used to live off the land, etc etc. Are you kidding me? Go back behind your keyboards and keep thinking that.... None of you could last two days in similar circumstances. Look I don't care if any of the above are true, if I guy can live on the land for almost a year with just a knife, it's pretty frickin amazing.

3. "Uncontacted" tribe spotted in the Amazon: This one could be my favorite of the week. This tribe was spotted by a plane (that subsequently had arrows fired at it) in search of finding tribes like this one: untouched an unspoiled by the modern day. The best part of this story is that Survival International and other such groups will not allow people in to see the group, and are trying to protect them against loggers encroaching on their territory. Pretty cool. It's kind of a weird catch-22 where on the one hand it would be interesting to watch a documentary on a group not previously seen before, but the other (stronger) emotion I have is to let them be, protect them and let them live as they always have. Read more...

Where in the world is???

Yes, it is time again for our favorite travel game here at Pangaea...... Where in the world is? Its fairly easy, but just in case, here are the rules.

1. Take a good look at the photograph above.
2. Take your best guess as where in the world the photograph was taken and post it.
3. If you are the first to get it right, receive a gift certificate for $25 dollars to Adventure 16.
4. Jump up and down with excitement. Read more...

Random Travel Facts

We are always stumbling across funny and/or interesting travel facts here, so I thought I'd post a few here for all of our readers enjoyment:


1. Indonesia is the world's biggest archipelago with over 17,000 islands.
2. The most densely populated country is the Netherlands.
3. The Hawaiian islands are the most isolated group of islands in the world.
4. In Australia, a hurricane is called a willy-willy.
5. There is a Chinatown in Shanghai.
6. A pound of bread is consumed by the average Italian on a daily basis.
7. The Tokyo Zoo closes down for two months every year to give the animals a break from the people.
8. Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.
9. Kansas City has more fountains than Rome.
10. Icelanders consume more Coca-Cola per capita than any other nation.
11. According to Turkish tradition a stranger at one's doorstep is considered "A Guest from God" and should be accommodated accordingly.
12. The time system in Ethiopia is different than the rest of the world: 6 am is the start of the day.
13. 200 million people in China live on less than $1 a day.
Read more...

Off beat travel news

Has anyone been following the recent trend of super random travel news recently? I keep coming across these articles and I could not resist sharing them with you. Just a little fun to get your Memorial day weekend going.

1. Frontier Airlines will now charge more for passengers checking antlers. Yes antlers. Apparently during hunting season some people feel the need to bring animals antlers on a plane. Frankly, I think its unfair I can't bring on a bottle of water, when someone can basically bring on an newly dead animal carcass. Plus....eeeewwwwwww.

2. A Homeless man in Missouri is found sleeping on a plane after slipping past security guards. Well isn't that just f-ing great.

3. New Zealand pilots ran out of gas in a airplane, but were able to make an emergency landing in a open field. The plane came to abrupt stop directly next to a sign reading, "Jesus is Lord." I so wish I had a picture of this.

4. Two employees from Pinnacle Airlines in Pennsylvania are facing charges after taking a little 'jaunt' into the woods after dinner. The police Sergeant relayed the information by saying "They told the officer they wanted to go do it in the woods, essentially," (USA Today). The couple were discovered when individuals in the neighborhood summoned police, saying they had seen a naked man and an intoxicated woman. The police later found the man, hiding behind a shed and wearing flip-flops and a watch. Where do you begin with this one? Do you make fun of the Police Sergeant who said 'they wanted to do it'.....'do it'....is this Police Sergeant 6 years old? Or is it better to envision this guy horrified behind a shed in his birthday suit and flip flops? Ahhhh, this is just too good. Read more...

The Global Bean

Today I have an announcement to make: I love goats. I love goats because those crazy four-legged creatures probably first discovered coffee, making me forever in their debt. The discovery of this brilliant elixir is said to have come from Ethiopia where a goat-herder in the 7th or 8th century noticed some strange behavior from his goats after they consumed some red berries from a local tree. One account states that my now favorite four-legged creatures acted in an exuberant manner, skipping, rearing on their hindlegs and bleating loudly. Oddly enough, that's the same behavior I display every morning at about 7AM when I crack my first cup. And by the way, I can bleat with the best of them. Anyhow, long story short, those beans were roasted, and coffee was born.

I mention this because coffee is one of very few items that is a truly global mainstay. There is hardly a place on this planet that you can go and not find some form of coffee being enjoyed by young and old alike. Many naive Americans may think that coffee was born with Starbucks, but long before our Seattle invention coffee was being enjoyed all over the world. I thought I'd use this blog to talk about the global consumption of coffee, and the many ways you can expect to drink it on your next vacation.

To start, if you had to guess what America is ranked in per capita/per person coffee consumption (in kilograms) what would you think? While it's true that our country as a whole drinks more coffee than anywhere else, on a per person basis were #22 (source: International Coffee Organization)! We drink about 4 kilograms of coffee per person per year. It's nice to know that Finland is more addicted than I am; they lead the way with over 11 kilograms per person, a number I am determined to achieve.... Most of Europe in fact is well ahead of the States on a per person basis. As a side note, for those of you that have traveled through Europe and know that the servings come in the equivalent of a shot glass, you'll start to realize just how many bite size servings are being consumed over there. While in Europe, you can expect to drink coffee in much smaller portions, and often as cafe au lait: half-coffee, half-milk (mostly in France). While in Austria, you will typically find two-thirds dark, one-third regular. And all over Europe, expect to find a stronger, bolder blend.

While in Africa, particularly the birthplace of coffee Ethiopia, you'll find brews that are a bit more acidic as coffee is often brewed with lemon, orange, and/or ginger. Much of Northern Africa and the Middle East serve a very dark, bold brew as the coffee is served and consumed with the grounds. Having been through the area, I can tell you that a mouth full of grounds at the end of your cup will almost instantaneously invoke the aforementioned skipping and bleating. Good times.

Many areas of Asia that have long been tea drinkers are consuming more and more coffee as well. One source (Talk About Coffee) states that as many as one third of the people in China consume coffee outside their home. Wow. While China and Japan enjoy more of the traditional Starbucks blends, countries like Thailand and Malaysia also serve very heavy bold blends. By the way, if you are ever in Thailand and someone says the coffee is "unique strong" run from the place like it's on fire. You won't sleep for two days after that stuff. And let's not forget about Central and South America, home to the three largest exporters of coffee: Brazil, Columbia and Mexico. Coffee is as much a staple of the diet down there as it is here.

A bit of advice from me to you: Drink coffee, and love goats. Read more...

A Belizean Bus

I have this very vivid memory from when I was a kid. I was on a bus with my brother and parents in Belize and even at eight I remember thinking, oh good God. The bus was at least 20 year old and there was masking tape holding on one of the headlights and a big crack in the front windshield. Inside were mostly locals traveling with baskets, chickens, I think I even remember a goat. The bus was so packed full of people and their goods I had to sit on my dad's lap and I remember being too close to a man standing with his butt in my face. To top off this little adventure, during the trip a giant basket fell on my head from its insecure position above me.

The image of my family and I on this trip came rushing back to me today as I read this headline "American Airlines plans to charge its customers for all checked luggage". Now, I want to say that I don't blame the airlines for taking necessary steps to try and save themselves from bankruptcy. Yes, I miss my mid-flight meal and hate having to buy a $12 dollar sandwich, but I can at least understand. However, this new measure makes me more than skeptical. What do they think people are going to do? People are going to attempt to bring everything they can on the plane with them. Now, they might not let on a goat, but I bet planes are going to start looking more like that Belizean bus.

I don't know that I would stop flying American after this announcement, but it will certainly give me pause. I think what is hard for most of us to stomach is having all our amenities taken away from us that we have gotten accustom to. Personally, I would rather see a slight rate hike than be hit in the head with a piece of luggage falling from the overhead compartments. As someone who has had this happen, it is not pleasant. Read more...

Southeast Asia - The New Backpacking Scene?

If you're like me and had the good fortune of spending some time in college "backpacking" through foreign countries, chances are you traveled through Europe. It made sense as well: Europe was the "it" destination with easy train travel from country to country, mostly inexpensive locations to visit, and a strong dollar to lean on. It used to be that a flight from just about anywhere in the States to Paris or London was no more than $500, a three-month Eurail pass could be purchased for close to $750, and places like the Czech Republic could be navigated for no more than $25 a day. Oh, the good ol' days.... With the depreciation of the dollar against the Pound and Euro, the rising gas prices, and the inflation of goods in Europe, those days are long gone. Nowadays a flight will run you closer to $800, a Eurail pass $1500-$2600 (depending on age), and our old cheap cities like Prague are closer inline to a Paris. Enter Southeast Asia: The new destination for backpackers looking for the same adventure and getaway we were once able to find in Europe.

One could argue that SE Asia is really a "new old" as Lonely Planet, a guidebook targeting backpackers and low-budget travelers, wrote its original volume (Across Asia on the Cheap) targeting the area. SE Asia has long been a mecca for backpackers from around the world, but is just now stepping out of the shadow of Europe as SE Asia can now boast the same benefits Europe used to be able to offer: Great internal transportation on the cheap, unlimited adventure, and a cheap place to vacation.

To discuss the area a bit, SE Asia's backpacking circuit is predominately Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. After those Golden Four come the Indonesian Archipelago, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. A few points to highlight:

- While the flight over there may cost you a bit of money, once there you can live for $15-$25/day in most spots.
- Unlike Europe, SE Asia does not have the same network of trains. While overnight trains in Thailand are quite nice, in most places the trains are quite dilapidated. What Asia lacks in trains though, it more than makes up in budget airfare options. Airlines like One-Two-Go, Thai Air, Tiger Airways, Pacific Airlines, Nok Air etc. offer flights as cheap or cheaper than any type of train transportation in Europe. Having done it myself, it is not difficult to show up at an airport and buy a seat on a budget airline the day of for $100 or less.
- Contrary to popular belief, crossing borders in this area is not all that difficult (with the right visas). There are a variety of trains, buses, taxis and ferries that shuttle across most of the region's international borders.
- The food in SE Asia is exotic and delicious and the region boasts some of the best street food in the world for less than 50 cents.
- SE Asia is home to just about anything you'd like to see: Gorgeous beaches, fascinating history and archaeology, unexplored forests, river travel, culture beyond your wildest dreams, wildlife, and big city nightlife.
- The hostel properties are on the rise in the area, and cheap accommodations are never far away with a little research and preparation.
- While I'd always recommend to check the State Department's country advisories before traveling, SE Asia is really quite safe. With the exception of a few places in the Philippines, and the very southern tip of Thailand, the area is great for travel. That said, researching your route is very important in this part of the world as you shouldn't be veering off the beaten path without guides or locals. Read more...

Volunteer Travel - Would you do it?

So, I would like to take a poll. Since I think Chris and I might be the only two people that read this blog, the results might be a little misleading, but regardless, I would like to find out how many people would take a volunteer trip?

For anyone who has not heard of volunteer travel or do not know what it entails, let me break it down for you. Basically, you travel to the country of your choice where you work for a specified amount of time on a volunteer project. The nations and projects are extremely varied so that participants can chose a program which they are passionate about. The participants are required to pay for their flight, accommodation and sometimes food and are (obviously) not paid for their work. In the past, volunteer travel has mostly been regulated to church groups or medical teams, however volunteer travel has become a more mainstream form of travel.

The advantages to volunteer tourism is the unique way of giving back. Many have described the experience as life-altering and extremely rewarding. The only real question would be, would you use a week of your vacation to travel abroad and volunteer? I know that some people would have a hard time with this prospect. Personally, I love the idea and plan on going sometime next year, but not everyone has the flexibility I do.

So would you? Read more...

Can cars be green?

We are starting to see the terms hybrid car, electric car and solar car more and more these days and it got me thinking: Is there such a thing as a truly green car? What exactly do these terms mean? These questions, and the fact that the gas station down the street from me now has 87 octane gas selling for the bargain $4.19/gallon, prompted me to look into the answers. To start, here is a link to a useful article explaining the differences between gas-powered cars, electric-powered cars, and the combination of the two - more commonly known as hybrid vehicles. With the soaring oil prices these days, the thought of finding a car that is capable of driving 35-55 miles/gallon is pretty appealing. There are some very helpful sites and blogs out there that are really breaking down the advances in the hybrid industry, as well as comparing what is available on the market. Here are a few links of note:

1. Hybridcars.com: This site has a few nice features including a database that compares hybrid vs. non-hybrid cars, a robust research section covering topics from the environmental impact of cars, fuel options and buyers guides, as well as the latest technology coming to the forefront in the industry.
2. The Green Vehicle Guide: This site is housed within EPA's Transportation section, and covers the greenest vehicles and their emission ratings relative to gas-powered cars.
3. The Green Rating: This is a site Yahoo advertises that ranks vehicles on a scale of 1-100 (measuring their environmental friendliness). The site goes on to rank the top 100 cars by that green rating.

In addition to hybrid cars, we are starting to see smaller vehicles here in the States that have long been staples of the road in Europe, and other high-priced gas countries. The first of these vehicles to cross the Atlantic was the Mini Cooper. Most recently, and my personal favorite, the Smart Car has been introduced. While safety ratings for these cars could be an issue, I imagine more and more of these energy-efficient cars will be brought to market. I hope the days of the huge Hummer's may be coming to an end.... Read more...

Duty free?

Has anyone else ever taken a moment to think about how absolutely bizarre duty free goods are? I mean, we walk by these random places in the airport all the time.... we get hit in the knee by the once-a-trip random cart on the airplane selling things and we never think twice. Well I'm that type of guy who looks at these types of things and thinks: What the heck is "duty" anyway? Are they saying it's my "duty" to buy duty-less goods? Is "duty" free? Where did the "duty" go? It's all so confusing I'm not sure I can take it. And another thing, who originally sat around a table and thought "duty" free goods could only include Toblerone chocolates? I mean, I'm no chocolatier, but there's gotta be some chocolate in this world that is better than Toblerone.

Here are some other interesting thoughts on the oh-so-bizarre duty-free goods:

1. I've now been told on numerous occasions that perfumes in the duty-free section are more expensive than at your local department store. Numerous studies also show duty-free cameras are typically $30-$50 more than your average camera store. Some sort of reverse duty I guess....
2. There is a limit every individual has on buying items duty-free. Of course there is... The dealers of these goods want you to enjoy Glenlivet duty free, but just not a whole lot of it. If you surpass your personal exemption total (differs for each country), some guy at customs on your return calls in the "duty" hound to come add back the savings. Awesome.
3. Technically the bizarrely named "duty" is the customs tax paid to import something into a country. This doesn't mean the goods are free of that tax for the buyer. This means the shops don't have to pay a duty to import their merchandise, and are suppose to pass the savings on to the buyer.... Anyone want to place a wager on how often that happens the way it's suppose to?
Read more...

Do you have helmet hair today?

Happy National Ride your bike to work day! Today is the day where company bike racks are full, people are a little more sweaty than usual and the earth is just a little happier. Since helmet hair is today's fashion statement, here are a few ways to make sure all your co-workers know you rode in today:

1. Just wear your helmet around the office all day and when people ask why, just say it is for their benefit.

2. Ride your bike around the office.

3. As you walk around, use hand signals to tell everyone which way you are turning.

4. What other hairstyle would go with my cool florescent bike shorts?

5. Clip a bell to your pants and if people get in your way, ding it loudly.

6. Purposely walk behind people and tell them you are drafting to preserve strength.

Any of these methods will give people the message that you did your part and rode your bike to work today. Good job!
Read more...

Exploring Earth

The other night I was watching a special on the fateful 1996 Everest season chronicled by Krakauer in his book Into Thin Air that took (among others) the lives of famed guides Rob Hall and Scott Fischer. For those of you that don't know the story, it is one of the most heart-wrenching modern tales of survival and adventure ever written. I mention this because for those of you that know me you'll know I have three vices: coffee, good food, and an obsession for adventure tales. Anything that is remotely related to discovery, borderline delusional adventure activities, or the capacity for the human body to survive near-death physical efforts, has my interest piqued. Anyhow, the show got me thinking about two things: The greatest adventure/exploration stories ever, and what (if any) modern day adventures are left?

To start, here is a list of what I consider to be six of the most incredible/fascinating adventure stories ever recorded:
1. Everest: The 1996 expedition, the Hillary/Irvine fateful attempt in 1924, and Messner's ascent alone and without oxygen in 1980
2. Lewis and Clark's exploration of the Western United States (and/or the trappers detailed in Give Your Heart to the Hawks)
3. Shackleton's odyssey in the Antarctic
4. Sir John Franklin's lost expedition to the Northwest Passage in 1845
5. The sinking of the whale-ship Essex in 1820, and the resulting survival story
6. The 14th century Moroccan wanderer Battúta's adventures as chronicaled in Travels

As for the last great unknowns and unexplored, here are my thoughts:
1. Everest still remains
2. The sub-glacial terrain of Antarctica (and sea life off the coast, see here)
3. The ocean floor (only 1% mapped)
4. The Northern Triangle Subtropical Forests of Myanmar
5. Regions of the central mountains of New Guinea
6. Parts of the Amazon (upper Orenoco)
7. The Greenland ice cap
8. The table mountains of southern Venezuela
9. Northwest Siberia
Read more...

Advice Lists

I may really age myself with this blog, but back when I graduated from college, in 01' (gasp) there was am email forwarding phenomena called 'always wear sunscreen'. As in most email forwards, it was often touted as being the speech read at Harvard in that same year, although I have not found any proof this is true. It is kinda like the email forward warning you of ever traveling abroad for fear someone will steal your kidney's and leave you in a tub of ice. Anyway.......besides the fact that someone embellished its purpose, I really love this forward. It popularity was based mostly on the pure simplicity and humor of the advice given.

Here are some of the more memorable quotes: "Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing gum. Real troubles are apt to blind-side you at 4 p.m. on an idle Tuesday." or more practical is, "Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone." And finally the best advice ever "travel".

Have you ever noticed, how most 'advice' lists have a portion about travel? Whether it is a cliche like 'travel off the beaten path' or 'make your own directions', people have always had a desire to experience other cultures or environments. So here is my small piece of advice for the day..... travel as much as you can!
Read more...

Traveling "green"

What the heck does it mean to travel green anyway? We get this question a lot around here, and it usually surfaces alongside some of the following comments:



- Traveling green? (Blank stare) I can't ride a bike to Europe.
- Green travel? Is that like only going to places with rain-forests and pine cones?
- Are you guys with the Green Party? Do you work for that Al Gore guy?
- Are you guys those people that go camp out in trees chanting "Mother Earth" as loggers try to fell conifer trees?

So for the record to the above, no, no, no, and finally, NO. So what does green travel mean then? Well, it can mean a lot of things but Jessica and I believe that we ought to minimize the harm we as travelers do on the environment through flights, car and train trips, hotels rooms etc. We also believe that rather than just visiting (and often jeopardizing) the places we travel to, we should give back to the local communities we all love so much around the world.

One solution: We think carbon credits are a great way to minimize the impact of travel on the environment. Sure, they're not perfect, but it's better than nothing. A couple of things to make sure you look out for with carbon credits:
1. Make sure that credits are going towards projects that can in fact, make a difference (not just reforestation efforts).
2. Make sure those projects aren't all in one place should (heaven-forbid) a fire wipe out the area etc - similar to the investment strategy of not putting all your eggs in one basket.
3. Make sure the company's records have public audits to show where (and in what amount) their money is spent. If you'd like to see an example of a company doing a great job at this, please click here. To learn more about Pangaea's program, please click here.

And lastly, our vision of the most important piece of making travel sustainable: Give back! What better way to protect the cultures and environments we as travelers visit than to invest in their development, protect their lands and resources, and ensure the beauties of this world are around and thriving for future generations. Read more...

Tips for the absent minded traveller

I admit it, I can be a bit of an airhead. It is not that I am a stupid person, its more that I have inherited a family trait of leaving keys, sunglasses and other such items in extremely random places. So when I travel, I do try and make it a point to come home with the same amount of stuff I left with. So here are some pointers which have I have gleamed after years of embarrassing travel blunders.

1. If parking your car at the airport, write down where the hell you left it. I hope more of you out there can relate to this, you are hurried to get to the airport, you park and run inside with only thoughts of your vacation. Of course this was best documented in the Seinfeld episode with the fish, but believe me...I have been that bewildered girl walking around a giant parking structure with my luggage.

2. Add a gaudy piece of brightly colored ribbon to your bag. Because this is inevitably what happens; you buy some generic luggage at Costco which everyone and their brother owns and then cannot distinguish which bag is yours. I realize it is somewhat nerdy to have yellow ribbon on your bag, but truthfully it beats out inadvertently taking someone's bag and having them chase you down the terminal. This is just embarrassing, and yes, I personally know what it feels like.

3. If traveling internationally, put an extra pair of undies in your carry on. I will try and make this one as PG as I can, but airlines delays are bound to happen and wearing your underwear for multiple days is just really gross.

4. Don't fall asleep on public trains. I was once robbed by a very nice thief on a train from Krakow to Budapest. He was not nice due to the fact that he stole all my money, camera and even my change. However, he did kindly replace my wallet back into my purse with all my necessary credit cards, ID and such. How did someone manage to take my wallet out, steal only pertinent items, then replace it? Well, I fell asleep on a public train......not really my finest moment. Read more...

Top ten reasons to visit Japan

I have a public service announcement: Japanese taxis might be possessed. Yep - certifiably, nuts. In fact, I'm not sure taxis there could possibly be from the same genus as those in our lovely New York City. Or Chicago. Or Los Angeles. They are a new species. First off, don't touch the doors. Nope, they'll open for you automatically. I half expected KITT to then greet me. KITT did not... Kazuki did though, and he had a suit on, he even smiled. Secondly, the cabs are spotless. They even have those doilies on the seats like you'd see at your grandmother's house when you were a kid. What is this? Automatic doors? Friendly drivers? A clean car with doilies? Nonsense. It can't be. They must be possessed.

The taxis alone are worth a visit. But if you plan to see more, here's 10 more reasons to visit this fantastic nation that I lived in for several months:

1. The toilets. There, I said it. What you ask could possibly be redeemable about a toilet? Well, try this: Seat warmers. automatic night lights, bidets (yes, that's plural), a dryer, automatic seat raisers, varied flush functions. Do I need to say more?
2. The sashimi: I guarantee you've never had fresher tasting, better fish in your life.
3. Tsukiji fish market: Any day you can peruse one of the largest fish markets in the world while being chased by frozen sea monsters on dollies is a good one in my eyes. Side note: Japan: Stop killing whales and cutting off shark fins. I don't care what kind of medicinal value it has.
4. Kyoto: Any city with 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites does not need an introduction.
5. Fuji-san: For anyone that has climbed the 10 stations of the mountain, you know its beauty. A well-kept secret though are the many natural hot spring ryokans you can stay at near the base.
6. Sake: Love this stuff. Try any Premium Ginjo. Kanpai!
7. Nikko: I fell in love with this city best known for its beautiful temple and Tosho-gu Shrine.
8. Shinjuku... At night: Picture Times Square on steroids and 50 times larger.
9. Business-people doing calisthenics in front of skyscrapers: Can you really beat 100 men in suits doing stretching routines at 6AM?
10. The people: Some of the most genuine, friendly people in the world. Read more...

Airline mania

First off, lets all take a second to ooohhhh and awwww at our blog site changes. Golf clap for Chris.

Now, on to today's real question. What is your favorite airline?

As I prepare for my October trip to Bhutan (I know, you can be jealous) I am trying to find flights to Thailand. You would think that someone that works in travel would be familiar with the plethora of Asian airlines out there, but I have to admit that I was pretty astounded to learn how many of them there are. China Eastern, China Southern, China Air, Thai Air, Malaysia Air......who knew? So this got be thinking, what are people's favorite airlines?

Personally, I love southwest for national trips. Yes, I often feel like cattle being herded into a pen, but I find the staff is always fun and make me laugh with their goofy anecdotes about plane security rules. Plus, I love their milage plan I am always getting free trips or drink coupons which make any flight sooooooooooo much better!

For international trips I am a big fan of British Airways. I was a fan of Lufstansia until a recent trip to Germany where a rep at the Munich airport made me so angry I honestly thought of hitting her in the face. Well not really, but I have now transfered that grudge to the whole of Lufstansia and refuse to ever fly them, which seems pretty rational to me.

So what are your airline thoughts? Read more...

If you could go back in time...

So here's a random thought I've been kicking around in my head today: If you could go back in time, what ancient civilizations or places would you visit? Jessica and I are always talking about our lists of places we'd love to see, our top destinations, or new "it" spots, but what if history and time had no limits? Here are my thoughts on the places/civilizations I'd travel to:

1. The Minoan Civilizations of Greece - 1500BC: The Minoan's were based on the island of Crete (and surrounding islands) and held power in the Mediterranean from 3000BC-1400BC. The Minoan's controlled much of the trade with mainland Greece, Egypt and surrounding islands during that period and are thought to have been one of the most powerful groups of the time period. It's from this dynasty that Classical Greece formed. This culture and civilization are shrouded in much mystery as two earth changing volcanic eruptions largely wiped them from the face of the planet (Thera in 1500BC and Santorini in 1600BC). The Minoan dynasty is probably the leading candidate for Plato's fabled tales of the Lost City of Atlantis.
2. Ancient Rome - 75AD: This is an empire that ruled for over 9 centuries, but if I had my way I'd go back between 50BC and 150AD - at the height of Rome's power. At this time, Rome lorded over much of Africa, all of the Mediterranean, extended as far north as the British Isles, and as far east as the Persian Gulf.
3. Mayan Empire - 900AD: The Mayan Empire stretched over much of present-day Mexico and northern Central America. The population density at this time was similar to Los Angeles today. The fall of this empire is one of the great historical mysteries, and we're left with some of the most fascinating archaeology and ruins in the world including the only complete Pre-Columbian writing system in the Americas.
4. Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon - 600BC: Babylon could be found in present-day Iraq and was one of the great military powers of the ancient world. In addition to its influence on the region that shaped the next 2000 years, Nebuchadnezzar constructed one of the seven wonders of the ancient world: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon. This society was so advanced that it even developed the first form of negligence law; a concept not rediscovered until the 20th century.
5. Ancient Egypt: Do I even need to say anything here? How about some random unknowns: The Egyptians were responsible for inventing black ink, ox-drawn plows, sails, paper, organized labor, hieroglyphics as an early system of writing, the 365 day calendar and Leap Year, lock and keys, combs, scissors, wigs, makeup, deodorants, toothbrush and toothpaste, cement, glass (just to name a few...). Read more...

A carbon neutral city?

Here at Pangaea we deal a lot in carbon credits, in fact a good portion of our day is used discussing them. So this morning on NPR when I heard that a carbon neutral city is in the works, my ears perked up. That is until where I heard this city will be located in Abu Dhabi, then I almost crashed my car. Just kidding, but in all truth I was REALLY, REALLY surprised. For all of you non-geography people, Abu Dhabi is in the United Arab Emirates boarding Saudi Arabia and Oman and across the Persian Gulf from Iran.

I would not exactly pair the biggest oil producing region in the world with anything pertaining to environmental standards...but turns out I was wrong. The proposed city would be called Masdar City and will burn no gas or oil, so its contribution to greenhouse gases will be minimal. The entire city would be built towards the Northeast which will optimize the amount of solar energy that can be gathered in a day. Cars would also be banned within the city and instead something called a personalized transit system (PTS) would be used to get from place to place. Designers envision the PRS (which is very similar to a 6 person car) to run off solar and battery power.

The country has made this project city a priority to try and better position themselves financially when their oil runs out. I find this idea absolutely ingenious and really quite surprising at the same time. It is a very ambitious project which skeptics have claimed is impossible. What do you think about a city completely eliminating its carbon footprint?
For the NPR version click here. Read more...

Mmmmm... Beer

Okay, I know, I know... You're wondering why you are reading about beer on our blog. I have a better question: Why wouldn't you be? For me, sampling new beer as I travel is as much a staple as trying new cuisine, or experiencing new cultures. I love arriving in a country and settling in at a pub with a cold beer and a map to plan my next move. Many years back I traveled to Europe for a few months with a very good friend of mine, and we made it our mission to drink a Guinness in every city we arrived in before doing anything else: Finding accomodations, eating, sleeping... you get the point. Anyhow, this philosophy coupled with my new favorite show Three Sheets inspired me to amass a list of some of my favorite brews. So, here they are in no particular order:

Guinness: An Irish stout. Best Guinness I've had: At a pub on the western side of the Sevilla Cathedral.
Caffreys Cream Ale: Another Irish brew. Unfortunately, my days of being able to pick this beauty up at the store are long gone as it is no longer available in the States.
Beamish Stout: One more Irish stout.... fantastic. Had a pint in London once with some fish and chips - best thing I did in that country.
Budvar: For any of you Czech Republic fans, you know that this is the real Budweiser.
Staropramen Granat: Staropramen's semi-dark pilsner. One of the best. Oh, and when you are buying them for 50 cents on the Vlatava River in Prague, it doesn't get much better.
Struise Pannepot : A strong Belgian Ale. Weird name, but trust me on this one.
Yebisu Black: This is a dark lager only found in Japan. Though not as good as Guinness, the fact that you can buy it at a train station and drink it with friends over a card game on the bullet trains is pretty neat.
1554: This Brussels Style Black Ale is my favorite from the New Belgiam Brewing Company in Ft. Collins, CO. Most of you are more acquainted with Fat Tire, another of their fine brews.
Delirium Tremens: One of my all-time favorites, this Belgian tripple has a nearly 9% alcohol content. The pink elephants on the bottles are a nice touch as well.
Pilsner Urquell Kvasnicový: This unfiltered Czech brew (Pilsner) is brilliant. By the way, the bottled version you may find at Von's is not what I am talking about here... Read more...

Love mom, love our planet

With mother's day just around the corner, I thought it would be nice to provide some suggestions for some eco-friendly products. And by this, I do not suggest you go out and buy your mother some energy-efficient light bulbs, instead find something she will really love.

1. Not sure about you, but my mom still maintains a bit of her 'hippie' persona from her days of living in SF and doing God knows what at Jimi Hendrix concerts (love you mom). For many mom's going organic is like stepping back into a tight pair of bellbottom jeans, it just feels right. Organic candles (using soy instead and natural aromatherapy oils) is a fun gift that you mom can truly appreaciate. Not only do these candles have less toxins when lit, but use less chemicals to produce. Q Candles are some of my favorites (www.qcandles.com).

2. What mom does not want a great bottle of wine on her special day, especially when they can have one of the eco-friendly variety. These wines are created without chemicals using a biological sustainable method. Trader Joe's and Whole foods have great selections. Toast to mom and the fact that she has put up with you for all these years!

2. Let's face it, girls love flowers. We love the way it feels to receive them (maybe its the inner beauty queen in all of us). Why not give mom organically grown flowers this mother's day. Not only are you making a better choice environmentally, but you are protecting farm workers from working with dangerous chemicals. (www.organicbouquet.com)

So what are you going to give your mom next Sunday? Read more...