PROMPT: Longest Trip

Daily writing prompt
What’s the longest trip you’ve ever taken?

So far, life is the longest trip I’ve ever taken. The challenge of this question is knowing what counts as a “trip.” I lived in India for over 12 years? Was that a trip? It didn’t feel like it. It felt like my home was in a different country. I think I once spent about two months one Summer in Hungary back in the 90’s? Was that a trip or family time? I’ve spent about a month (just under what would be required to do a “visa run” — more of a fresh stamp run) in Thailand. I suspect the latter is what the question aims at. While I’m pretty far toward the traveler end of the Traveler – Tribesman continuum, 30 days moving about without being someplace that feels home-like is where it starts to wear on me. (Of course, being a traveler, any place can feel homelike if I don’t need to think about where to eat on a daily basis or how to do laundry on a weekly basis.)

Of course, maybe the question is drug related. In which case, I once had psilocybe mushroom tea, and that trip lasted about five hours?

DAILY PHOTO: Trees & Prayer Flags, Dubdi Monastery

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Photograph taken on the grounds of Dubdi Monastery on the outskirts of Yuksom, Sikkim (India,) featuring trees, prayer flags, and mountains.

PROMPT: Top 10 Travel

Daily writing prompt
What are your top 10 travel destinations?

I am not sure whether this is meant to be aspirational, by frequency, or by the appeal of the place. I’m also not sure what level of granularity to use. So, I will arbitrarily go with the countries (and things that quack like a country) that I’ve most enjoyed traveling in, placed in no particular order: – Taiwan; – Vietnam; – India; – Peru; – United States; – Kenya; – Georgia (Republic of); – Thailand; – Korea; and Kyrgyzstan.

NOTE: This list is not stable, and I hope to add and knock off some in the near future.

DAILY PHOTO: From Netravati Peak

Photograph of green hills in the Western Ghats taken near the Netravati Peak in Karnataka, India.
Photograph of green hills in the Western Ghats taken near the Netravati Peak in Karnataka, India.

DAILY PHOTO: Mysore Palace Main Gate

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Photograph of the Main Gate of the Mysore Palace in Karnataka, India.

DAILY PHOTO: Mussoorie Macaque Portrait

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Photograph of a Macaque monkey taken in Mussoorie in Uttarakhand, India.

DAILY PHOTO: Saadat Ali Khan’s Tomb

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Photograph of Saadat Ali Khan's tomb in a park in Lucknow's Qaisar Bagh.

DAILY PHOTO: Adiyogi of Chikballapur

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Photograph of the Adiyogi bust at the Chikballapur Isha Center, near Nandi Hills on the outskirts of Bangalore.

DAILY PHOTO: Gwalior Fort Greenery

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Photograph showing the facade of Gwalior Fort the roadway to the main entrance, and surrounding greenery. Taken from the Gujari Mahal end of the Fort.

DAILY PHOTO: Scenes Atop Uttari Betta

Photograph taken on top of Uttari Betta (Hutridurga) in Karnataka, India.
Photograph taken on top of Uttari Betta (Hutridurga) in Karnataka, India.
Photograph taken on top of Uttari Betta (Hutridurga) in Karnataka, India.