Indonesia is Truly Asia-ish

Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago (a word more fun to say than to spell). According to the CIA, there’s 17,508 islands; a mere 952 are inhabited. To put it more succinctly, Indonesia is really big. Due to its prime geographic location, smack dab between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, Indonesia has been long regarded as a prime trading post. With each trader, they brought little smatterings of their culture. The diversity within Indonesia, be it biological or anthropolo

By: rmarides10 Jul 2015 Tags: , Read More

3 Things to Bring to a Conference that Aren’t Business-Related

1. Your GoPro Just the other day, GoPro released a new, smaller and sleeker camera; the Hero4 Session. This is the newest update to their camera in nine years. It’ll be released for everybody on July 12th at a steal of $399. The Session is half the size of their previous editions and nearly half as light. There’s one button, to start and stop recording, for ease of use. The Session is much better for mounting on objects. You can stick this bad boy on a pair of bicycle spokes and get amazing

Get lost in Istanbul

You know it’s good when there’s a song written about it. Istanbul, not Constantinople. Turkey’s capital acts at the perfect starting point. It’s not quite Asia. It’s not quite Europe. And it’s not quite the Middle East. It’s a comfortable blend. It is, to borrow an American cliché, the perfect melting pot. Before you step onto Turkey, be warned. It’s not even worth trying to figure it out. Turkey’s geopolitical history is insane and twisted and amazing. The best place to get

By: rmarides3 Jul 2015Read More

The Perfect Airplane Snack: An Unofficial Guide

Traveling is stressful. Traffic is bad. Lines are long. There is, inevitably, a screaming baby on your flight. But, with a little hope and resourcefulness, you can recover. It’s time to slap on your noise-canceling headphones and pray the free tv is alright. I mean, who can really watch that many episodes of The Big Bang Theory? Once you’re in your seat, firmly nestled, you get to eat your feelings. Variety is key here. You’re going to be stuck for a few hours, and you can’t live on dri

By: rmarides1 Jul 2015 Tags: , , , , , Read More

Dumplings Galore

When you want to do a Nellie Bly and go around the world in less time than the average man, the best way to do it is at the helm of your kitchen table. Eat dumplings. Eat DC dumplings and you can quickly visit China, Japan and even another parts of the US. Doughy pockets filled with grilled meats and cheeses are the great equalizer. Language, culture and religion stand no chance to the simple dumpling. Found on every continent, each one has its own special cultural twist. Empanadas are hearty a

By: rmarides26 Jun 2015 Tags: , , , , Read More

Eating Your Way Through Summertime Paris

If you’re lucky enough to be in Paris this summer, good for you. Skies are blue and the whole city looks like a movie set. It’s magical. But, before you line up for the restaurant in the Eifel Tower or something along the Champs-Elysee, it’s worth trying some local Parisian haunts. Plan your day right and each meal shouldn’t cost more than 10 euros. Breakfast Au P’tit Grec – 6 euros for a steaming cone of cheesy deliciousness. Be sure to order at least something with ham in it. And

By: rmarides24 Jun 2015Read More

Why Cultural Whiplash is the Biggest Danger in Cairo

Before the Arab Spring, Egypt would host 12 million tourists per year. Now the number is down to less than 2 million. This statistic is not meant to scare, but to offer an opportunity. Prices are cheaper than ever and there’s few tourists to ruin your photos or clog up lines. Post revolution is the time to go see Cairo. [caption id="attachment_5697" align="alignleft" width="300"] Tahrir Square[/caption] Because the Cairo government isn’t 100% stable yet, it’s best to hire a guide. While

By: rmarides12 Jun 2015Read More

Five of the Best Airports to Have A Layover

[caption id="attachment_5693" align="alignleft" width="300"] Changi Airport[/caption] Business travel can be a drag. Long lines, delays and bad food are just a few of the reasons traveling can be exhausting. Because of this, some airports really upped their game in terms of the quality of service they provide to those who pass through their airports to make traveling across the world just a little bit better. See the list below of five of the best airports to have a layover in. Singapore Chan

By: rmarides10 Jun 2015Read More

Weird and Wonderful Suzhou

China is unique . It's wonderful and wild and so incredibly different from the United States. There is an outrageous amount of fireworks and grilled animal parts on sticks. It’s impossible to fully dive deep into China. There’s too much. But, for a healthy dose, go to Suzhou. Seventy miles outside of Shanghai lies what Marco Polo termed the “Venice of the East”. Suzhou, China (pronounced Soo-zho) is a popular day trip, but deserves more time than it’s so often allotted. It’s known f

By: rmarides8 Jun 2015 Tags: , , , , Read More

3 Reasons Why The TSA Needs To Get Its Act Together

There’s a lot that’s frustrating about traveling. Getting seats by the bathroom. Crying children. Missed connections. But, by far, the most universally irritating is dealing with security. Waiting in line for 3 hours to get  patted down is no one’s idea of a good time. So, with everyone having so much exposure to these fine folks, what do they actually do? The Transportation Security Association (TSA) is a self-regulated agency under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security. It