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I’m sitting beside the gentle stream that runs along the centuries-old Philosopher’s Path at the base of three mountain ranges that surround Kyoto. That’s when I notice a white crane standing silently still amidst the fast-flowing water. The crane, or tsuru, is the most sacred bird of Japan. And Kyoto, the ancient capital, is the country’s most sacred city.
Over a year ago, I left the U.S. on a one-way ticket to Costa Rica for $131. Having spent the prior 15 months locked away in a tiny room during the height of the pandemic, I had an invitation to come to Costa Rica and live for three months while overseeing rental properties for some friends in Playa Grande. My first thought was that it would be a nice change of experience...
Through a series of side roads and detours, I ended up in the Central Valley in a lovely town called Ciudad Colón, which is close to the capital city of San José yet outside the far reaches of modernization. I arrived in Ciudad Colón planning to stay perhaps a month, then make my way on down the traveler’s road. However, I decided to embrace “pure life” and stick around...
A winding road trip through the mountains and over the scenic river crossings and waterfalls to Cerro Punta provides just such a therapeutic adventure. On this particular Saturday morning in April, we began our adventure just as the rainy season was beginning to hint that it was rolling in. The overcast morning with mist gently falling provided the perfect mood...
Five years ago I was living quietly in a small 1,100-square-foot home just outside my native hometown of Austin, Texas. I was doing my utmost to live simply in contrast the rapidly increasing consumer culture of America. The mortgage on my home was $1,100 per month. Two years later I purged around 70% of my possessions and downsized...