In lieu of my own eco-cultural adventures...

Due to a number of factors, my own travels have been quite limited over the past few years. However, I have a few friends that have been documenting their own eco-cultural adventures and I would like to offer links to their blogs. It's amazing all the adventure that is just waiting to be had out there!

In 2007, I went to San Rafael, CA to present my undergraduate research on the implications of tourism development on Honduran communities. At this conference I met an inspiring UCLA student named Japhy Dhungana who's research was about Sherpa culture. He is Nepalese, and after his graduation, he decided to ride his bicycle from LA to Tierra Del Fuego - the southern tip of South America. He chronicled his adventures here: http://jeffdhungana.blogspot.com/

Photo lovingly snatched from Japhy's website...

During my time in Honduras, I traveled with a lovely and ultra-cool woman named Libby Rice. Libby was always ready to fearlessly immerse herself in the situation! She has an insatiable curiosity and so decided to travel around Central and South America for as long as she could. Her adventures are chronicled in her blog: http://travelswithlibby.blogspot.com/

Libby with two sweeties in Tornabe, on the Caribbean coast of Honduras

I met a whole bunch of really great people in the Green MBA at Dominican University of California. Breen and Devon are a couple of super chill folks who are always welcoming and supportive of their friends. After graduation from the Green MBA, they decided to take a trip around Southeast Asia with an eye toward sustainable development. Their adventures are chronicled here: http://breen-devon-asiatrip.blogspot.com/

Ryan Milani and Jonah Nisenson are also good friends I met in the Green MBA. Both of them decided to head south and record their observations, insights, and adventures in blog form. They traveled together for a spell as well as separately and its interesting to see their different perspectives on their shared experiences. Whenever possible, Jonah and Ryan would barter their business and technology expertise in exchange for food and shelter. 

Ryan is now returning to the states while Jonah remains in Central America. Ryan's blog can be found here: http://rmilani3000.tumblr.com/

Jonah and I share a similar disposition and often found ourselves working closely together. As it turns out, he is obtaining his advanced diving certifications at one of my favorite places in Honduras, Utila. His blog can be found here: http://magicaltriphome.tumblr.com/

The folks I have talked about here are amazing people and are incredibly inspiring to me! Well, that should be enough reading material... for a little while at least. I think these blogs, and the adventures inside them, are a testament to the fact that the world is huge and there is so much to see and do... let us not sit still. 

North Bay photos, continued...

Here are some more pictures of Marin County. I took these before I had my favorite compact camera (Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5), so the resolution and light are not as good...

 On Big Rock Mountain, looking over Lucas Valley

My trusty sidekick, Jodi

Jodi and I went on plenty of adventures. The following shots are in the Golden Gate Recreation Area. I kept Jodi on a short leash here.

My good friend Paul took another friend, Pete, and I to a secret sea cave only accessible during an ultra low tide. It's called Elephant Rock - out towards the northern tip of Point Reyes National Seashore. This is Elk country!

 A trail down the cliffs fit for a mountain goat

 Why do they call it Elephant Rock?

Entrance to the cave

Unfortunately, my old 2MP camera went to digital heaven after this shot... it would only take black pictures with a few red pixels. Alas, at least it was a noble place to die. I do wish I could have photographed the abundant sea life that was clinging to the lower walls here! There were neon-green anemones, starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers clinging to the lower walls of the cave, especially around the tidal pools... waiting for the waters to rise and submerge the floor of the cave for another month. At least this meant it was time to get the camera I had been longing for!

Briones Regional Park - Which isn't Marin, it's just east of Berkeley 

Well thanks for looking, take care!

Pictures of the North Bay

I was changing my desktop wallpaper today and thought it might be nice to share some of my photos from my 2.5 years in the North Bay area of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is such a beautiful place...

This was shot at Muir Overlook, looking roughly SSW.

Muir Overlook is a nice stop on the Pacific Coast Highway just north of Muir Beach. It has a walkway out to a huge rock outcrop where you can see probably hundreds of miles of shoreline as well as the coast of San Francisco. Very nice views and the wild sage and cedar make it smell wonderful.

My dear mother and I

Nearby are Muir Beach, Muir Woods, and the Pacific Coast Trail, which was probably my favorite Mtn. Biking trail because it is so beautiful and the ride back down is fast and fun! The following pictures show these places:

Muir Beach

Muir Woods 

I love this photo! Trillium, Clover, an Orchid, and moss.

Pacific Coast Trail - Marin Headlands

This photo was taken near the top of Mt. Tamalpais

I lived in San Rafael, Marin County, CA. The following photos were taken in and around San Rafael:

 From my backyard 

 Looking toward Richmond, CA from China Camp State Park

China Camp State Park is a great place to chill in San Rafael. Here are some photos taken at a China Camp picnic area that I frequented:

Finally, my full moon photo expedition to Mt. Vision; overlooking Drake's Bay and Tomales Bay near Inverness, Ca  - Point Reyes National Seashore:

Well, that's all for now... Hopefully I will be motivated to keep posting photos over the next few weeks!

Take Care...