The week before Labor Day is an unusually quiet time in San Francisco. Street parking is easily available, there are fewer people walking, and clubs and bars are half-empty. Why? Because a big chunk of people under the age of 60 are off to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada for Burning Man. For the…
Category: Miscellaneous
What is Your Social Responsibility as a Photographer?
Recently, I went to a photo critique meetup in San Francisco where I got to show my recent series about the streets of Saigon. It was a small group, mostly Bay Area millenials. Most were professional or serious amateur photographers. I was one of the three people showing, and when my turn came, I was,…
Happy July 4th!
I would like to wish all my American (and Filipino) readers a happy Independence Day! You have probably figured out by now that the word “independence” means a great deal to me, especially during travelling. I urge every one of my readers to break free of the organized tour business and try travel on your…
Should You Travel With Your Girlfriend?
Our natural instinct as social creatures is to share most, if not all, of our experiences with those dear and familiar to us, be it family, friends, boyfriend or girlfriend. But backpacking is unchartered territory for most of us. There is no “normal” when you travel, and depending on how comfortable you are way outside…
Happy Lunar New Year!
I would like to wish all my readers in Asia and those who celebrate the Lunar New Year elsewhere a prosperous Year of the Pig! A pig represents luck, good fortune, wealth, honesty, general prosperity, and symbolizes a hard working, peace-loving, truthful, generous, indulgent, patient, reliable, sincere, sociable person with a large sense of humour….
Happy New Year!
I hope 2018 has been a good year for all my fellow travelers. Far away destinations have been made ever more accessible by lower cost air fares, and with the digital tentacles spreading into every nook and cranny of the world, you can get plenty information about just about anywhere you can imagine to visit….
Putting Your Mind at Ease Before a Trip
Have you ever regretted taking a trip? If you are like me, you probably get some anxiety before going on an extended trip somewhere. Not only do you need to get so much done before you go that your head starts spinning, but you also have doubts and reservations about your destination. You might not…
What Kind of a Backpacker Are You?
So we have determined that you are not a tourist, but a backpacker – right? But kind are you? Well, it all depends on your age, for starters, and the goals of your trip. If you are in your early to mid-20s, for example, you might be looking mostly to party, get laid and have…
What Makes a Backpacker?
There are lots of different types of travelers, but what makes you a backpacker? I would like to get the definition down and over with, so that there is no confusion as to what I mean. The backpacker I am referring to here is not simply a hardcore hiker with a backpack and a tent….
Hello World!
Hola amigo! My name is Eugene aka Roaming Gene, and hear you’ve decided to take your first backpacking trip abroad. Way to go! Or maybe you’ve already been around the block a few times but want to see if you’ve been doing things right. Or, perhaps you just need some help deciding where to go?…