Monthly Archives: July 2009

Maybe the notorious Captain Bligh, the first European to lay eyes on Aitutaki, should have treated himself and his crew to a holiday on the island when he sailed past it in 1789. Perhaps if he had anchored the HMS … Continue reading →

Perched atop a fir tree, overlooking an isolated harbor on Vancouver Island, a hungry raven calls out for its breakfast. Peter Buckland gets up from his morning paperwork and fishes a chunk of bread out of the compost tub. Stepping … Continue reading →

Like many communities, Costa Careyes, Mexico, has a few conditions that prospective buyers must meet to purchase a house—27 of them to be exact. I expected the list to include items like “no overnight street parking” or “exotic pets prohibited”. … Continue reading →

When I told people I was traveling to Rarotonga and Aitutaki almost everyone responded with “Raro-where?” and “Aitu-what?”. Some geographically challenged friends even asked me if these were places in Africa. I would inform them—with more than a light air … Continue reading →

When I first told my friends and family I was going to Thailand, everyone regaled me with stories of pristine beaches, crystal clear waters, delicious food and affable people. When I told them I was going alone, however, they quickly … Continue reading →

I noticed her shoe first as it slipped out of the taxi onto the dark cobblestone alleyway. I recognized it immediately—it was an okobo, a wooden platform shoe worn by a maiko, an apprentice geisha. The pale wood of the … Continue reading →

It began to scream as soon as its feet left the ground. Levi clutched it to his chest and tried to keep its legs restrained. Its beady eyes rolled back into its head and its entire body shook with fear. … Continue reading →

In my fantasy of Las Vegas, I am sitting at mahogany-trimmed red felt table wearing a cocktail dress and a feather boa. It doesn’t matter what kind of table–blackjack, roulette, craps, whatever–as long as I’m dressed to the nines, with … Continue reading →

I should probably begin by stating that I truly do love my home country: I am genuinely proud to be a Canadian. My pride, however, does not instill in me a tremendous desire to actually live in Canada. In other … Continue reading →