The New Backpack

I still have my old backpack in the garage. Yes, the one with all the hand-sewn patches on it from the different countries I have visited. While I have stopped using that backpack, I still collect the patches when visiting a new country. I do it for my daughter who I one day envision presenting said backpack wrapped in newspaper and a plane ticket to some far-off place for a grand life lesson and well-earned vacation.

Of... [Read more]

Thoughts on Backpacking

I was recently asked by a friend on MySpace, Magaly, whether I had any thoughts on backpacking. She is going to Europe for the first time and was looking for some advice. While I admit that after sleeping in a barn in Austria, camping in Iceland (not by choice) and eating... [Read more]