Every journey begins with the first step.

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So my friends, how did I get to writing about travel, memories, and my experiences around the world? The answer is in the famous quote from St Augustine: “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

I’ve always felt that life becomes even more beautiful when it’s driven by curiosity, creativity, and a touch of wonder. Whether I’m jotting down ideas in a notebook or simply watching the clouds drifting by, I truly enjoy dreaming about what’s possible and finding magic in everyday moments. Travel means the world to me—I love discovering new places, meeting interesting people, and gaining thoughts on how different cultures celebrate life in their own special ways.

I’ve been amazed, delighted, and yes, on occasion, frightened at what I’ve found. Yet I continue to peek around corners and into things that seem interesting to me anywhere and everywhere. Every single experience has been memorable. I’ve met people from every walk of life, tasted food that I loved and hated, traveled luxuriously on Concorde, Cunard, and my all-time favorite, Pan Am’s 747 services. 

While I love to roam, my heart always circles back to what matters most: the people I care about. I cherish meaningful conversations, shared laughter, and quiet moments with those I love. Life is an open book—and I’m grateful for every chapter written with good company. Truth be told, I know I never want to reach the end of the line.

Meet the Cadillac of pencils.

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A well-known company that rates just about everything just announced a pencil as being the “Cadillac” of pencils. Who knew?

I’ve used Blackwing pencils for many years. Over time, the manufacturer has evolved, and vintage pencils now fetch high prices on eBay. I treasure my collection of around 25 vintage pencils, as well as a few newer ones. Many famous writers, such as Stephen King, use these pencils, so I feel like I’m in great company. Even though I can’t afford the car, these pencils truly bring me happiness.

This was the perfect gift in 1942.

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One of my favorite things to discover is vintage magazine ads. I came across this great ad in the December 19, 1942, issue of The New Yorker Magazine. Since I was born on December 17th, I can imagine she was enjoying more than a few cigarettes that day. I suppose I was quite good at crying during those first days, so I certainly don’t hold it against her for promoting “the best in smoking pleasure.”

I’m sure this is every boy’s dream.

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Today, I learned that on July 24, the USCG’s beautiful “tall ship” will be sailing into San Francisco for the first time in 17 years. The Eagle is a cherished part of the Coast Guard Academy training vessels, affectionately called a floating classroom, that takes 150 cadets on inspiring 14-week cruises each year. It’s hard to believe how the cadets manage 6 miles of rigging and 29 sails. There’s a traditional blessing or farewell for the crew: “Fair winds and following seas.” Boy, would I love to be aboard her.

How I Learned More About the Civil War.

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In school, I loved reading about history and social studies. I grew up in California, so much of what I read about the Civil War made me think that this was a conflict far away from reality. I didn’t understand the significance of the events and the eventual outcome. I’ve lived in the South for many years now, and I have a vastly different view of the events that many people here still refer to as the “War of Northern Aggression.”

I’ve visited several battlefields like Gettysburg, Appomattox, Chickamauga, Manassas, and others. Each visit to these locations brings the Civil War to life for me. Suddenly, it isn’t represented by a page in a school history book, but rather where tens of thousands of people just like me died for a cause they really believed in. I stood on the very land they all fought for.

Living in the State of Tennessee as I do, I have learned some fascinating facts about what happened here during the Civil War. While Tennessee was the last state to secede from the Union to become a part of the Confederacy, it was also the first Confederate State to be readmitted to the Union in 1866. Before Tennessee’s secession from the Union, people in Scott County (about 60 miles from where I live) voted to secede from the State of Tennessee. They formed the “Free and Independent State of Scott,” which lasted until the end of the conflict. Now that took guts, and I didn’t even know it happened.

Let’s take the 8AM train to Laos today?

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While awaiting our Thai permanent residence permits, we left Thailand every 90 days and returned as tourists, then waited another 90 days for a new visitor visa. Everyone knew this process well. The Thai railway was ideal, with a daily 0800 train from Bangkok to Nong Khai, arriving in the afternoon. The same train left Nong Khai hours later, allowing us to cross the Mekong River to Laos for passport stamping.

Once we got to the Laotian side, we climbed into one of several small taxis and sputtered off to Vientiane, where we arrived at the Lang Xang Hotel for lunch. Vientiane was once a French Colonial city, and even then, most people in the shops and the hotel spoke French. Everything about the restaurant, including the menus and food, was straight from a dusty Asian version of the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The food was always great, and we washed it all down with cans of Beaujolais. Who knew?

After lunch, we took a taxi to the river, crossed into Thailand, visited the ramshackle immigration booth, and received a new entry stamp to stay 90 more days. We then reboarded the train and returned to Bangkok after 12 hours. We repeated this process several times until we got our permanent visa. We also took the Thai railway from Bangkok to Butterworth, stopping at Batu Ferringhi and the Lone Pine Hotel, and visiting the E&O Hotel in Malaysia. These trips were among many fantastic experiences. We were very lucky.

Hey, do you want to see the Bridge on the River Kwai?

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River Kwai

Our family spent the first week in Bangkok, staying at the Siam Intercontinental Hotel until we found a home. One Saturday by the pool, I read in The Bangkok Post about places near Bangkok. I asked my wife if she wanted to see the bridge on the River Kwai. She mentioned she’d seen it in San Francisco in the movie, but I explained the real bridge was in Thailand near Kanchanaburi. She agreed, and we set off in our small car with a local driver.

After about 3 hours of our rocket ride, we arrived at the town near the River Kwai. We were thrilled to get out of the car, and when we looked around, we saw a small, very well-kept war Cemetery and parts of the original bridge built by the prisoners of war. We were the only people there, and we stood in the sunshine trying to visualize how that all came about and what happened to the men who built the bridge. We saw grave markers stretching into the distance and later learned more than 7,000 prisoners were buried there.

At that moment, we realized we were looking at something very, very powerful, and it was a long way away from the movie that played when we were at home. For the first time, we all understood we were living in Thailand, halfway around the world from San Francisco, and that we weren’t tourists in another country; we were in our new home, anxious, excited, and ready for the adventures ahead.

Is George the luckiest boy in the world?

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Prince George celebrated his 12th birthday today, July 22nd. Since his father, the Prince of Wales, will eventually assume the role of King, George will be elevated to super-stardom as the next eventual King. For decades, people in the United Kingdom have debated the value of their Royal families; for now, this is one young man (and his sister and brother) who doesn’t have a care in the world. Happy birthday, George.

The 3 most powerful words used in the South are: “Bless Your Heart.”

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If you live in any Southern State, you’re probably familiar with hearing this phrase almost every day. People of all ages and genders in the South often use it, and it’s seen as a classic example of social commentary—something that can be personalized in many ways.

For instance, you might say: ‘Bless her, his, their, and your hearts.’ This phrase is a way of expressing your thoughts, which could be anything from: “That’s the ugliest dress I’ve ever seen” to “That house is painted the worst color, ever.” The key is to quickly add the “Bless” word, which gently softens your comment and keeps everyone feeling good.

Living and learning in the south is a challenge, especially for a boy born and raised in San Francisco. However, after 20 years here, I have been able to blend in quite well.

Moon Pies rule here in the South.

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It seems that Moon Pies are everywhere here in the South. Created in 1917 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, millions have been sold. This image is from their bakery sometime in the 1950s. Although I’ve been in their main store in Chattanooga, I’ve always wondered what their factory looked like. Perhaps they should provide their workers with updated work aprons.