“A Whatever Easter Weekend” (Tenaja Falls and Ortega Falls – April 3, 2010 to April 4, 2010)

As we parked the car and got out, we could tell right away that we were in the mountains for the air was frigidly cold and there was a breeze that…

“Exercise In Compromise” (San Antonio Falls and Fish Canyon Falls – March 27, 2010 to March 28, 2010)

We weren’t sure if there was a limit to the number of people on the trail at one time. So we asked one of the employees there if this was the case. He just told us that…

“March Gladness” (Big Sur, CA – March 18, 2010 to March 21, 2010)

As we got towards the middle of this stream crossing, there came a point where we had no choice but to wade through shin deep to knee-deep of water. Further progress meant…

“Selection Sunday” (Santa Monica Mountains, CA – March 14, 2010)

Having lost an hour of sleep thanks to Daylight Savings Time, Julie and I awoke at 8:30am, which was late for us considering we wanted to get some hiking done today…

“32 Miles From Santa Barbara” (Rose Valley Falls and Newton Canyon Falls – March 7, 2010)

Julie and I were itching to do a hike today, but yesterday’s rains had lasted all day long and was forecasted to continue into this morning. So given that, we had slept…

“Adventure Always Finds Us” (Millard Falls – February 28, 2010)

We didn’t expect to take more than an hour or so, and it was a total last-minute decision. But that was when some unexpected things happened, and well, it just seems that adventure…

“Return To The First” (Paradise Falls – February 21, 2010)

I didn’t remember the pool being this dirty the last time we were here, but apparently Julie noticed this too as she pulled a face and gave me that look that something really stunk…

“Holy Jim Massage” (Holy Jim Falls – February 14, 2010)

We had only gone roughly two miles along the rough road, but it seemed like we had gone further than that. Mom was sitting nervously in the back (I could tell by her silence) as her car was jostling.

“Opportunistic” (Sycamore Canyon Falls and La Jolla Canyon Falls – January 24, 2010)

Continuing along the familiar trail, we noted that the trail was much softer and muddier than last year. However, it was disconcerting not to see or hear any stream. So we asked…

“To Boldly Go Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before” (Cook Islands – January 11, 2010 to January 17, 2010)

As for the swarming gnats, these little buggers were even after my cocktail drink which was a yellowish reddish color, and I think one or two even managed to swim in my drink…

“Ch- Ch- Ch- Changes” (North Island, New Zealand – January 4, 2010 to January 10, 2010)

I guess our sentiment that this place was rather “Dead As” was challenged when we happened to witness some hideous shouting of two Maori gangs hurling insults and even bottles at each other…

“Whale Of A Way To Start The New Decade” (Northern South Island, New Zealand – December 30, 2009 to January 3, 2010)

…no one was exactly rushing to do it, so that prompted our MC to say, “I know it’s difficult to leave the dolphins and return to your seats, but one thing I do know is that all of you can hear me..”

“Putting Our Book To The Test” (Southland, Fiordland, and Westland, New Zealand – December 24, 2009 to December 29, 2009)

Sometimes Mother Nature dictates what and when you can do any activities, and today was certainly not one of those days where you could do anything. We’ll just have to cross…

“Picking Up Where We Left Off” (Christchurch and Canterbury, New Zealand – December 20, 2009 to December 23, 2009)

It’s strange how it always seems that something goes wrong in every one of our trips. And I guess this was the bit of adversity we were faced with this time…

“The Vacation from the Vacation” (Maldives – November 20, 2009 to November 23, 2009)

It was funny that we had to leave the resort to get the real Maldivian experience… to do things that are more indicative of the local lifestyle than try to have a home away from home…

“Laid Back India” (Kerala and Courtallam, Tamil Nadu, India – November 17, 2009 to November 20, 2009)

…sun went down, we started to notice crabs coming out of their holes. Just a few paces from our hotel, I felt something squishy on my left sandal. I feared the worst as apparently I did it again…

“Converted Soul” (Karnataka, India – November 14, 2009 to November 16, 2009)

When I Lokesh noticed I was busy washing my boots at a water spigot near his car, he inquired what I was doing. “I’m washing sh*t off my boots,” I said, squeamishly as my fingers were in the grooves..

“A Tale Of Two Goas” (Goa, India – November 12, 2009 to November 13, 2009)

…furious after realizing there was no hot water (I took a cold shower), no hair dryer, no filtered water, toilet cover broken, no hand towels, and overall the room felt quite dirty and subpar…

“Black Nostrils” (Meghalaya, India – November 9, 2009 to November 11, 2009)

At 6:30pm, the plane was in a holding pattern. The captain announced that there was a thunderstorm in Mumbai (probably influenced by the cyclone), visibility was a 3km, and the runway was wet. The…

“Hello, Delhi!” (Delhi, Ranthambore, and Agra, India – November 1, 2009 to November 8, 2009)

Subhash seemed like he was in shock as he sat silent, and then got out of the car. From that point, he was swarmed by villagers (one of them hitting him repeatedly). And it was then that I started…