I was really geeked out about this one. Western Sahara is actually not part of the infamous “193” list of fully UN-recognized nations. But it is part of the five “partially” recognized countries, often included in some people’s “197” or “198” list of countries. Let me explain… There are 193 fully recognized members of the…
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Grumpy Gus I wasn’t in Tirana but 90 minutes and I already wanted to go home. It was that rare but poisonous combination of being my very last stop (I was exhausted), raining cats and dogs (enough to have soaking wet sneakers), having just left my favorite country on the trip (Montenegro was absolutely stunning)…
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Hang Time My average stop in a country is somewhere around 1.3 nights per nation, so three full nights in Montenegro would be somewhat of a luxury for me. We can thank the fine folks in Bulgaria for turning me away, opening up some extra time for country #155. I’m actually glad it worked out…
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This isn’t just any hot dog…I speak of the infamous Sonoran Hot Dog. How these treasures haven’t spread internationally, is beyond me – but I’ve seen them start to pop up in places like San Diego and Salt Lake City, so I feel it’s only a matter of time. Sonoran Dogs were born and live…
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I’m excited to announce that the Ramblin’ Randy Award for Best International Radio Station goes to (drum roll) Radio Skadar 107.9 in Beri, Montenegro! While it’s listed online as an Alternative station, that’s certainly not the type of music that I heard on my Sunday morning drive through the mountains. They were playing one of…
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Push the Panic Button My heart sank into my stomach as I walked towards the man at the desk in uniform. Why was he stamping passports? Would he stamp mine? But I wasn’t leaving the EU! Ker-PLUNK went the stamper. Usually a joyous sound for my ears, but the opposite this time. Inside I shrieked…
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The San Marino Situation San Marino taunted me from the map each time my eyes scanned over Europe. I’d been to Italy at least five times and each visit I’d neglected to see her. I think back to 2005, long before I got the travel bug, when I was “stuck” in Italy for days, wanting…
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Ferry Tales Half the fun was getting there. I suppose for residents of Finland and Estonia–and a few other places, like Gibraltar, Hong Kong, etc.–traveling to a completely different country via ferry is just everyday life. But for an American like me, this is a big deal. I’ve crossed a gazillion borders via bus, train…
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