Project Runaway

British novelist Anthony Burgess writes that eating durian is “like eating sweet raspberry blancmange in the lavatory.”
definition of blancmange: sweet almond-flavored milk pudding thickened with gelatin or cornstarch; usually molded
Chef Andrew Zimmern compares the taste to “completely rotten, mushy onions.”
Anthony Bourdain, while a lover of durian, relates his encounter with the fruit as thus: [...]

We were back on the road again and this time headed for the Cameron Highlands. The highlands are the highest area in mainland Malaysia. The area is known for its tea plantations and rolling green hills reminiscent of the English countryside. After another grueling multi-bus ride, we arrived at Father’s Guesthouse feeling like we had [...]

How many people can say they have actually been in a tropical rainforest? A jungle that is over 130 million years old. That has been untouched by any natural or unnatural disaster and has been around since the time of the dinosaurs? When you try and imagine the jungle, images from every movie you had [...]

We started our Malaysia travels with a bus ride from Singapore to Melaka. I decided that along the way there should have been towns where the rules and regulations of strict Singapore slowly disappeared one by one, and the bus would stop at each one, allowing you some time to adjust.  Whereas in Singapore you [...]

Sorry for the delay! Hard to post a blog from the middle of the jungle!
The streets are spotless. There is no graffiti on bridges, sides of buildings, fences, anywhere. Modern glass and steel buildings with spotless and hushed courtyards abound. People wait patiently and quietly to cross streets. Banners proclaim ‘Low Crime Doesn’t Mean No [...]

30+ trains
6 long haul bus rides
5 plane rides
3 ferries
2 car rentals
1 long ass taxi ride
15 Hotels/Pensions
6 Self Service Apartments

It is the halfway point in our journey. We have battled homesickness, language barriers, food poisoning, hair frustrations, the dreaded budget, and even each other. We have had to wrap our heads around 3 different currencies and [...]

Today, the lady I am staying with showed me something that smelled like my family. She then flipped it over and read off the back in a language I was not fully understanding, but the picture on the front was very nice. It really just sounded like ‘blah, blah, blah’ to me. She does this [...]

I thought when I got to Spain that it would be a lot like Italy. In some ways it is, and but in many ways it is different. Spain has a more diverse ethnic community. Our area has Muslims from Turkey, North Africans, and South and Central Americans. In a way it makes me feel [...]

I know I said that I could live in Italy, then I said I could live in Istanbul, but ignore all that because Barcelona is where it is at. It is nestled between mountains and the sea, a perfect combo, and it is the cleanest city we have visited. The streets are broad with bike [...]

When you read about Istanbul you learn things such as it is the 5th largest city, has over 12 million people, covers 7 hills, bridges Europe and Asia, covers 1800 sq km. What you don’t read is that you will fall in love with it the minute you arrive. You could spend weeks here exploring all [...]