Category: Travel Tales

Armed with digital cameras and smartphones travelers are able to detail every idyllic moment of every trip in all its “Instagrammable” glory with often ridiculous travel photos.

Learning to fly a hang glider. Or how I nearly wet my pants

I had been volunteered to learn to hang glide for a feature story. So like Icarus centuries before, I found myself attached to a set of wings — learning to fly a hang glider — wondering if it were really possible to soar like a bird.

Honey, does this stink? My search for antimicrobial clothing

Body odor is a rather personal subject, so while it is not my intention to offend, consider this a warning up front – I stink. I was both thrilled and slightly apprehensive at the prospect of testing odor free antimicrobial clothing.

Fear and loathing while climbing Moosedog Tower

I have an inability to say “no” when presented with an enticing adventure and story angle, no matter how far outside my comfort zone the adventure is. Which is how I found myself discovering fear and loathing while climbing Moosedog Tower in Joshua Tree.

Remembering George H.W. Bush — My hike with President Bush

When I received a phone invitation to go on a hike through the Giant Sequoias in California with President George H.W. Bush during the summer of 1992, my initial reaction was, “Right, who is this, really?” I could name any number of wonderful friends who would make such an “official” offer while doubled up with mirth and glee – eager to hang any appearance of gullibility over my head for a lifetime.

My grandfather’s life – Secrets in a 1914 Princess Mary gift box

by Michael Hodgson | Essays

The secrets of my grandfather’s life are held in a box — a 1914 Princess Mary gift box. It’s just a simple brass box. Weathered, dented, tarnished. But to me it is precious because this box saved his life. Which meant this box, in a way, saved my mum’s, mine and my daughter’s life too.

Transformative travel – learning while traveling

I arrived at my photography workshop eager and excited for learning while traveling, but also more than a bit nervous. “Why?” asked one of the instructors earlier by email when I mentioned a couple of months prior that I was a bit anxious. “We don’t bite.” No, they...

Slow travel: becoming part of a place

by Nikki Hodgson | Essays

It doesn’t come easily, this crashing into a place. I am not a traveler, not really. I am a creature of habit, slipping smoothly into routine. From one country to another, I unfold and refold my clothes, placing them in the same stacks in different drawers. I buy...

Poignant Korean War Memorials: Honoring Uncle Ara

Korean War Memorials are always on my list to visit when traveling. You see, my Uncle Ara disappeared on Oct. 23, 1951, less than a year into the Korean War. A part of an air mission with nine Super Fortresses, his B-29 bomber was attacked by Soviet MIGs, and it was...

Remembering Christmas in Germany far from home

It was my first Christmas far away from home. I was 21 and an exchange student in Germany - a country that is very very into celebrating the Christmas season. I realized that when I discovered the country had what was called “First Christmas” and “Second Christmas,”...

Airline acts of kindness do happen – more frequently than you imagine

by Michael Hodgson & Therese Iknoian | Traveling Teddy Bears

Because we do fly a lot, and talk with so many other passengers and frequent travelers, we think it is worth pointing out there is another side to the story: Despite the avalanche of news regarding despicable behavior by some airline employees and by some passengers, there are always two sides. We would like to humbly point out that airline acts of kindness can and do happen, on an almost daily yet too often unreported manner.

Teddy Bear Wisdom: Travel with your best friend

Dr. Whoo and Tony have been traveling together now for several years. And, as you can tell, they are not exactly similar in style or even appearance though they have become the best of friends. And that is because they have learned to work together, listen to each other, encourage each other, and communicate openly and honestly.

Feeling the blues: Charlie’s missing home on his Thanksgiving tour

by Michael Hodgson & Therese Iknoian | Traveling Teddy Bears

Charles Baty is feeling the blues. As I prepare for the last road trip of the year (and probably my last road trip for a long time), I have been spending a lot of time re-tackling the solos of Charlie Parker and trying to learn more chords, arrange Christmas tunes for the holiday season and learn a few new jazz tunes.

Travel is fatal to prejudice and gives life to new friendships

JoJo knows from experience that travel is fatal to prejudice because travel gives life to new friendships that are never based on skin color, birthplace, language, religion, or sexual orientation — in other words, senseless fears of differences.

Love is Traveling Together

by Michael Hodgson & Therese Iknoian | Traveling Teddy Bears

For Charlotte and FoxFury, the adventure of traveling together and the wonder and joy of seeing new places, meeting new people, and learning new things is the ultimate expression of love.

Mukluk experienced his first snowfall and first snow angel

by Michael Hodgson & Therese Iknoian | Traveling Teddy Bears

Hiking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains near the towns of Portola and Graeagle just north of Lake Tahoe, Mukluk encountered his very first snowfall and of course had only one thought — he had to make his first snow angel.

Fear of Flying: The cockpit is no place for loud bangs

by Michael Hodgson | Essays

Then …BOOM!!!… The unmistakable sound of an explosion or other impact came from the cockpit. Immediately the plane began to shake and, within seconds, we were executing a very tight turn and initiating a steep descent heading back toward Salt Lake City … and, I hoped, for the airport. She looked at me with very wide eyes. “You have an explanation for that, right?”

Traveling blues on tour: ‘Be the road,’ says Little Charlie

Traveling blues guitarist Charles Baty (“Little Charlie and the Nightcats”) and his fellow musicians with the Golden State-Lone Star Revue are taking the blues on tour again – just finishing a Northern California and then heading to the Northwest and British Columbia....

‘You don’t go to Tucson to eat pizza’ and other Baty blues wisdom

Traveling blues guitarist Charles Baty (“Little Charlie and the Nightcats”) and his fellow musicians with the Golden State-Lone Star Revue are on the road yet again – now in the Southwest, Northwest and California (wait, where did that one gig in Illinois come from?) This round, he and band members Mark Hummel, R.W. Grigsby, Wes Starr and Anson Funderburgh will be not only turning clubs into hot blues joints, but also some outdoor festivals.

Lost in Translation: Funny Chinese instructions in hotels

by Michael Hodgson & Therese Iknoian | Humor

You don’t have to spend more than a few hours in China before funny Chinese instructions begin to leap out at you resulting in raised eyebrows, giggles, smiles, and even outbursts of laughter. But it is in hotels that the level of ridiculous attempts at English take on an entirely new level of funny.

No polka for Charlie and the traveling blues band

Hey, Charlie, we know you are singing the blues now that your traveling blues band tour is over and you’re home without any more Saigon Nights ice cream….

Singing the blues: Lone Star Revue tour winds down

Traveling blues guitarist Charles Baty (“Little Charlie and the Nightcats”) and his fellow musicians with the Golden State-Lone Star Revue are nearing the end of their June tour through a few midwestern burgs (is Chicago a burg?). He and band members Mark Hummel, R.W....

Red eye to hot blues: Off to Mishawaka and the Midwest