Sarah and I obsess about happiness. We read, and we scheme, and we make deliberate decisions about how to be happy. After lots of reading and scheming, we left our Washington, DC jobs in February 2017. We moved out of our apartment, drove across the country, got married, and launched an around-the-world honeymoon. We budgeted…
Author: Sterling Laudon
In total, Sarah and I spent $7,556.35 USD and 160,000 airline points. This was our total spending for two people, including flights to and from Africa. Prior to our 2017 Southern Africa trip, we received several nervous questions about “what is this going to cost?” To answer that question, we meticulously tracked each Rand, Rupee,…
Sarah would tell you the highlight of our trip to Indonesia was seeing orangutans in Borneo. We got engaged in Indonesia, but still—orangutans in Borneo. In Indonesia, we visited Borobudur, Mount Bromo, and Komodo Island. None compare to mythical Borneo. More specifically, Tanjung Puting National Park—possibly the coolest place in the world to see orangutans….
May 4, 2017
Sterling Laudon
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Each May during Passport DC, embassies in Washington, D.C. host free open houses on consecutive Saturdays. In 2017, May 6 is “Around the World Embassy Tour” and May 13 is European Union Open House. The best embassies have cool exhibits, native food and drinks, and short lines for admission (see cheat sheet below). The event…
May 3, 2017
Sterling Laudon
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Sarah and I are spending four months in South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, and the Yukon. With help from a world weather guide: Weather to Travel, we have loosely planned our itinerary around weather. April to June should be sunny and dry in southern Africa. June to August should be warm with…
October 2, 2016
Sterling Laudon
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Where: Port Rexton, Newfoundland When: Spring – fall (June – August are nicest) Round trip: 5.3 km What sets the Skerwink Trail apart? The Skerwink Trail is the Holy Grail of hiking: world-class scenery, uncrowded, and easy. Less famous than some other hikes, the Skerwink Trail punches well above its weight. In 5.3 short kilometers, the Skerwink…
June 12, 2016
Sterling Laudon
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Colin Scott died in Yellowstone National Park last week after stepping off the boardwalks and falling into a hot spring. His death follows a string of recent news articles involving tourists breaking rules in Yellowstone, either by getting too close to animals or leaving marked pathways. Each incident invokes the same sanctimonious reactions: “Stupid tourist!/I’m…
May 8, 2016
Sterling Laudon
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There are many reasons to visit Turkey. You won’t find them here. 1. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus—the original mausoleum. One of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. Now it’s a literal pit. 2. This statue in Antalya of a boy about to be touched by an uncle: 3. The Paul Martin Canada store, named…
