Best Laid Plans, part 1

I set out on an 8-week pilgrimage to Thailand to rediscover my writers soul after not doing any serious creative work for 40 years. I was inspired by an account of John le Carré’s adventure in the Golden Triangle and naively thought I could recreate it. But three bad disks in my back betrayed me.,

Where the Atlantic Meets Epiphany

Discover how a Portuguese café, the Atlantic Ocean, and a Beatles song inspired a transformative philosophy of presence. During a rainy trip to Porto in 2022, an impatient American traveler experiences a profound shift at Tavi Confeitaria da Foz, learning to embrace the unhurried rhythm of life from local café patrons. This personal journey through Porto’s coastal neighborhoods culminates in adopting “rightwhereibelong” as both mantra and blog name—a reminder that true belonging comes from accepting the present moment rather than rushing through experiences. Explore how surrendering to purposeful purposelessness can transform your perspective on travel, time, and finding peace wherever you are.

The Thieving Birds of Puerto Lopez

The Frigate birds and Pelicans of Puerto Lopez, Ecuador have come up with fishing methods much more reliable than diving into the water at high speed over and over until you come up with a fish. Why go to all that effort when the kind fishermen of Puerto Lopez serve up plenty of food every day as they run a gauntlet of hungry birds while carrying overflowing baskets of fish?