Disqus - Latest Comments for Mike

Re: Google Street View Maps in Philly!

Mike — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:48:30 -0000

The possibilities are as cool as they are frightening. Might want to be sure that you're wearing boxers 'round the house from now on. Or pull the shades at the very least.

Re: I’m Married!

Mike — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 09:43:33 -0000

Congrats!

(as "Another One Bites the Dust" plays in the background ...)

Re: Wedding Photos!

Mike — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:37:45 -0000

Love the look of these photos! Congrats!

Re: The Wineglass Experiment

Mike — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:12:11 -0000

That's so hippy cool - I love it!

Re: Gabe & Max’s Internet Thing

Mike — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:28:35 -0000

I'm now convinced I need the Internets. Do they have a website I can check out?

Re: Modern Hoboes Photo Essay

Mike — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:00:20 -0000

Thanks for the kudos, Mark. This was definitely one of the more fascinating photo essays I've come across.

Re: Win a Date on The Illadates Show!

Mike — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:41:51 -0000

You guys are just cuter than a box of kittens. I wish I lived in Philly - I'm sure I'd have a ton of cool ideas.

Re: Poverty Travel with SquatterCity

Mike — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:47:15 -0000

Great stuff, Mark.

We're actually in the process of writing a series on "dark tourism" at Vagabondish. This includes so-called "poverty tourism" and the interview you mention above will provide keen insight into that very topic. Thanks for sharing.

Re: We Bought a House!

Mike — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:31:37 -0000

Congrats, Mark! I love the architectural style and details inside.

Re: Garfield Without Garfield

Mike — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:39:23 -0000

I grew up on Garfield! This has been getting some pretty heavy play on the interwebs and it's definitely one of the more clever funny things I've seen in a while.

Re: Site Updates!

Mike — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:03:38 -0000

Love it!

Re: Some Views of Philadelphia

Mike — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:39:23 -0000

Love the blurry street shots.

Re: A Photo from Fishtown

Mike — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:51:54 -0000

That's just disturbing.

Re: WANT: Fully Restored Vintage Vespa

Mike — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:42:55 -0000

Freakin' awesome!

Re: Remembering Rome by Moonlight

Mike — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 12:18:08 -0000

It’s calling out to me to see it from all angles and latitudes…and I’m going to answer that call in December.

Love it, Dave! Absolutely beautiful! I'm answering that call next May.

Re: 2007 Cherry Blossom Festival In Full Bloom

Mike — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 09:52:48 -0000

test

Re: Would You Accept A Sponsored Trip Around The World?

Mike — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 10:30:58 -0000

I would have to decline. One thing that strikes me is recalling "outtakes" from Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. He describes the irritatingly numerous takes he's required to do to ensure his camera crew captures the perfect, TV-ready reaction to whatever he's involved in at the moment.

So, not only would you be making a video diary that's largely scripted by someone else, but you may need to "react" to seeing [fill in great world landmark here] for the first time in exactly the right, TV-perfect way every time. It wouldn't end up being your trip. It'd end up being a monotonous, canned, reality TV version of the trip you'd hoped for.

After watching 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, I kind of get the feeling that I'm watching a B-movie version of a No Reservations. The couple doesn't seem to be enjoying themselves and everything from the script to their mannerisms feels staged.

Just my $0.02.

Re: 4 Essential Tips For The Bald Traveler

Mike — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 13:53:32 -0000

I think we can call this the ultimate (and only) guide to traveling while bald. =P

Re: Text Link Ads – Create Recurring Revenue With Ease

Mike — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 09:48:45 -0000

I've been using TLA for awhile now and completely agree with all your points. It's a great, simple to install, passive income stream. If you can copy-and-paste a chunk of HTML code, you can install TLA ads. Even a small, low- to mid-traffic blog can earn upwards of $50/month by selling 8-10 ad spots. Highly recommended!

Re: My Top 5 Most Hilarious Travel Photos

Mike — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 11:17:49 -0000

Nice! Love The Seducer, although I doubt I'll be able to scrub that image from my mind any time soon.

Re: Blue Ribbon Manhattan – New York City’s Best Late Night Dining

Mike — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 08:07:27 -0000

Those pictures are like food porn! It's looking at culinary art like that that makes me glad I'm not vegetarian.

Re: My Pre-Departure Task List

Mike — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 10:28:17 -0000

Very cool, Dave! I have a similar spreadsheet in the works, and I think it's really helpful to share your own planning with other travelers and travel-hopefuls.

Happy anniversary btw!

Re: My Decision To Backpack Around The World

Mike — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 08:32:00 -0000

Good on ya, Dave! I'm pretty much in the same boat and it feels great to look at my spreadsheet every month and know that I'm that much closer to reaching my own goals.

Re: 5 Reasons Why I Travel

Mike — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 18:57:06 -0000

PS - for Anthony Bourdain fans, I fully intend to suck down a beating cobra heart in Vietnam this time next year.

Dave, can you please assure us that you'll dedicate an entire post to this? I'm absolutely doing the same when I arrive in SE Asia!

I'd actually planned on blogging about things that I wouldn't eat because I really couldn't think of anything. Then I was watching Culture Shock with Shinaz on The Travel Channel and there was a church/temple somewhere in which a holy man was eating curdled milk alongside rats who were "relieving themselves" in the same milk bowl. And I thought to myself, "Yup, I think that's where I draw the line." Anything you know of that you absolutely could not stomach?

Thanks for the write-up! We share a lot of the same reasons, but it's given me plenty to think about.

Re: Counting Down to Departure

Mike — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 08:40:35 -0000

It's weird ... for me, I added a countdown to my own blog and the days are flying by. It's barely a year away now!

Re: 5 Reasons Why I Travel

Mike — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 08:42:45 -0000

I can't imagine now that I'd ever eat any type of bug. But there's no way I could visit Asia and not at least try them. I know I'd live to regret it. I say: "Down a beer or two and take the chance!" lol

Re: 5 Reasons Why I Travel

Mike — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 09:26:18 -0000

Dave's right - the entire cobra is eaten. So why let any part of it go to waste?

Re: Creative Travel Blog Advertising with MOO.com

Mike — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 09:59:07 -0000

Dave, this is exactly what I'm planning on doing. I haven't done the MOO experience, but I've heard great things about their service/product. What better way to stay in touch with cool folks you meet while traveling? Plus, for me, who the heck is going to remember how to spell vagabondish?

Very cool indeed!

Re: WordPress Plugins and My Week in Review

Mike — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 09:38:20 -0000

You always find the coolest plug-ins, Dave. I was looking at your pullquotes all this week wondering what was up. Thanks for the write-up.

Re: Travel Fear – Food Poisoning

Mike — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 10:08:48 -0000

Dave, given the adventurous eater that you are, I can't imagine you not eating at food stalls and taking a really strict approach to not eating anything even remotely suspect. I think, in may developing nations, virtually everything (except for perhaps McD's) is suspect. What Boris said about just eating where the locals eat - the stands with the longest lines - seems like the way to go.

Sorry to hear about your "incident" over the weekend.

Re: Travel Fear – Food Poisoning

Mike — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:07:09 -0000

Very cool, Dave. I can't wait to hear your "culinary reports from the road" when your trip finally gets underway.

Re: Tequila Shot Heard ‘Round the World

Mike — Tue, 01 May 2007 11:22:35 -0000

Well this special approach involved snorting salt, taking the shot, and squeezing lime juice into your eye.

OK, there's "nasty". And then there's just plain "stupid"! I think the above falls into the latter category. I'm pretty adventurous, but squirting lime into my eye? No thanks. Sounds like a Jackass stunt.

The nastiest thing I ever had was a Prairie Fire. It's just tequila and Tabasco sauce. Simple to make and not especially exotic, but goddamn is it disgusting!

Re: 8 Surefire Strategies for Eliminating Debt

Mike — Thu, 03 May 2007 08:31:02 -0000

Great advice as usual, Dave. Regarding #2, there is a ton of free sites online regarding getting out of debt. The main one I subscribe to is GetRichSlowly - some of the best financial advice that I've found online.

Re: New Google Page Rank

Mike — Fri, 04 May 2007 08:50:30 -0000

Congrats on the PR update, Dave! I think I was one of the only suckers who saw most of my PR's drop across the board.

Re: Cambodia and The Killing Fields

Mike — Mon, 07 May 2007 10:08:17 -0000

I'm going to take you up, Dave, on the recommendation for The Killing Fields documentary. I admit to being completely ignorant about Cambodia and its history but I've always wanted to know more.

Re: Travel Dispatch from Vietnam (circa 2001)

Mike — Tue, 08 May 2007 09:45:12 -0000

Wow! With friends like that, who needs enemies? =P

Re: National Geographic Adventure, Gourmet, and Buddhadharma

Mike — Tue, 08 May 2007 19:47:41 -0000

Thanks for tagging me on this one, Dave. I love National Geographic too, though I can't claim to read it regularly. Funny story: out of the blue, my grandmother started receiving NG in the mail over twenty years ago. And she's had a free "subscription" ever since. She doesn't get any bills or renewal notices - they just keep sending them to her. You'd think after two decades, someone would've picked up on it. Not sure what that has to do with anything, but ...

Re: Travel Dispatch from Vietnam (circa 2001)

Mike — Tue, 08 May 2007 20:19:21 -0000

It must be nice for him to be able to pick up and leave just like that. I can't wait for that day to come.

Re: 5 Techniques to Save BIG Money

Mike — Thu, 10 May 2007 10:08:56 -0000

I think #1 perfectly sums up the right mentality, at least for me it has.

Saving for my trip really got me into a place, mentally, that I was surprised to be in. Having been so consumer-minded all my life, and now paring down everything I buy, I find that I'm so much happier not wanting for anything. I drive a Civic with a few dings. I haven't bought new clothes for myself in a couple of years because I don't need any. I don't care about the biggest TV and the latest stereo tech. Etc. None of that matters.

In some ways, I think consciously forcing yourself to think about saving money treats the symptom (i.e. spending too much money), but not the root cause. Once I realized that buying more stuff didn't make me happy, I just stopped spending money in the first place. Now, it doesn't even occur to me to think about spending money on things that don't matter because I honestly don't miss any of it.

It's kind of like the difference between "dieting" versus permanently changing the way you eat and think about food. The former is almost certainly doomed to fail because it's a temporary mindset and you'll probably relapse. But the latter - though much harder - will succeed if you can tough it out.

Re: Recommended Reading and My Week in Review

Mike — Fri, 11 May 2007 09:01:22 -0000

A Bear Grylls blog?? Where the heck have I been? Thanks for the great find, Dave.

Re: WordPress Nofollow SEO Plugin

Mike — Mon, 14 May 2007 13:58:56 -0000

Dave, this is pretty cool of you. I'm really torn about Google's push for the nofollow tag. It seems well-intentioned but ... I don't know. The wholesale implementation of it in Wikipedia and by default in almost every Wordpress installation seems a bit lazy and ineffective to me.

Have you seen this yet? It's a pretty interesting read on how Google, Yahoo, and About handle it.

Re: Recommended Reading

Mike — Thu, 31 May 2007 14:33:03 -0000

I think I burned through half of a weekend a while back reading through Pelton's stuff. It's truly incredible writing. I think the Discovery Channel should give him his own show - that'd really be "must see" TV.

Re: Travel Channel’s 5 Takes – Latin America

Mike — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 10:23:58 -0000

Perhaps my negative attitude has less to do with an interest in the hosts of the fourth season and more to do with my exhaustion of TV travel shows.

Wow, I thought it was just me! I have a TiVo-ful of all of the shows you mentioned above and I just can't bear to watch them anymore. I'm Travel Channel'ed out. Perhaps I'm tired of watching everyone else explore the world but me.

Of course, that leaves only a handful of other cable channels that I have any interest in watching. I think I have 900-something channels at my disposal and I only watch The Discovery Channel and whatever channel Law and Order happens to be on that night.

Re: Travel Channel’s 5 Takes – Latin America

Mike — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:00:58 -0000

Ian's perhaps my favorite travel show host - he makes both travel and hosting a travel show look easy.

Re: I Just Bought a Casio Pathfinder Watch

Mike — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:54:24 -0000

One word: freakin' awesome! (okay, two)

Re: I Got My Casio Pathfinder Watch, Now Need Advice

Mike — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 09:42:31 -0000

I say keep it. I think your watch will be the least of your worries and taking it off completely may be the best way to go anyway.

Very snazzy, btw!

Re: CouchSurfing – A Brilliant Social Network for Travelers

Mike — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 10:25:57 -0000

Great write-up, Dave. It reminds me that I signed up with CS a while ago and never completely filled out my profile/mission statement.

I'm eager to hear what your first experience is like!

Re: Reflecting Upon My Couchsurfing Experiences

Mike — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 08:40:42 -0000

Great stuff, Dave. Reading stories like this puts my mind a bit more at ease about inviting strangers into my home. This really inspires me to fill out the rest of my profile. It'd be nice to make a few more traveling friends before I head off on my trip.

Re: Top 10 Travel Tips (circa 1999)

Mike — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 10:20:44 -0000

Great tips, Dave. I think #1 and #2 are spot-on. Like most prolific travelers, my girlfriend and I have had our fair share of mishaps while traveling. When I start to get frustrated/scared/etc. with a given situation, I calm down and think "This'll make a great story when we get back." And suddenly, it's not all that bad.

Re: Immunizations, Vaccines, and Shots (Oh My!)

Mike — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 09:08:09 -0000

I never even stopped to think that some jabs might be covered by my own health insurance. Anyone know if this is fairly common? I had just planned on paying for the full boat out of my own pocket.

Dave, I spent quite a bit of time on the BnA forums researching vaccinations and it seems like about half the people over there reported the side effects you mentioned for Lariam. Sounds like pretty nasty stuff. I'd be interested to hear how you decide to handle the malaria issue.

Re: Immunizations, Vaccines, and Shots (Oh My!)

Mike — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:06:42 -0000

Awesome! You may have just saved me several hundred dollars, Dave. I'll have to call my insurance company but it sounds like I may be in luck. If so, I'll be happy to give you a testimonial should you ever decide to post a "Testimonials" page. =P

Re: Dental Dilemma III – Mo Money, Mo Problems

Mike — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 08:37:25 -0000

Sorry to hear it, Dave. I guess nothing really ever goes exactly as planned. I'm sure in another month or two, you'll have forgotten all about it.

Re: Recommended Reading

Mike — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 09:45:43 -0000

I truly enjoyed the whole thing, was sad to see it end, and find it odd to have such feelings given I’ve never even met the guy!

It really is amazing how much of a bond/empathy you develop towards fellow travelers/bloggers just through their blogs.

I love it and I'm really hoping that I get to meet some of my fellow bloggers during my travels.

Re: Check Out My First Online Interview

Mike — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 09:32:54 -0000

That recap of your May 2006 trip sounds incredible! If that kind of trip doesn't make you want to ditch it all to travel long-term, I don't know what will.

Re: The Costa Rica Connection

Mike — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:16:22 -0000

Dave, I'm not as well traveled as I'd like to be, but I can say from 1 experience traveling to Europe that I had the same experience as you. My girlfriend and I partied until the sun came up with four kids in Dublin. You'd have thought we'd all become best friends. After that night, we exchanged a few terse e-mails and everyone disappeared quietly into the ether.

Check out "A Map for Saturday" if you haven't already. Aside from being a must-own DVD for all travel junkies, there's a fair amount of footage in there about this very topic. Brook discusses how he met and became friends with a number of people - they hung out for weeks and months together. And now they rarely talk anymore, even via e-mail.

It's a weird dynamic. Everything about travel is so transitory, including the people and the friends/relationships you find. And everyone just seems content to pick and move after X days and recreate the next phase of their life somewhere else. Rinse and repeat.

Re: The Beautiful City of Kilkenny

Mike — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 09:38:31 -0000

While in Ireland, I read that the Smithwick's Brewery now brews only Budweiser. Talk about a slap in the face.

Re: The Ring of Kerry and The Rose of Tralee

Mike — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 10:37:25 -0000

Dave, I really love the photos from your earlier travels. They have a dreamy nostalgia about them. Is that Photoshoppery on your part? Or just the way they were taken? Either way - very cool!

Re: The Ring of Kerry and The Rose of Tralee

Mike — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 09:56:34 -0000

It's probably a combination of both. Interestingly enough, I started sorting through some of my "old" film photos and I noticed the same difference. I guess I've been staring at digital photography too long and have just grown used to the way it looks.

Re: 99 Days Until Departure

Mike — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 09:55:39 -0000

Awesome, Dave! To me, 99 days seems so soon - little more than 3 months.

Re: A Video Introduction

Mike — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 10:35:30 -0000

Hey, Dave - very cool that you decided to dip your toes into the vlogging world. I've been thinking of doing it myself but I'll admit to being a bit intimidated. Kudos to you for putting yourself out there.

Any idea what topics you plan on vlogging about in the future?

Re: A Video Introduction

Mike — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 09:45:12 -0000

I shot one video for another site of mine where I had to speak "off the cuff" for about 5 minutes straight. I think it took me about 20 takes. It's a lot harder than I initially thought to not look like an idiot =)

Re: Petzl Zipka Plus LED Headlamp

Mike — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 16:18:45 -0000

Wow - what a difference between the Petzl and your Maglite!

Weird coincidence: I just ordered the Tikka headlamp via Amazon last week. I haven't gotten it yet, but am really looking forward to taking it camping/hiking. They make these things so small and light (pun intended) now that there's no reason not to take one with you while traveling.

Re: Ben’s Chili Bowl – A Washington, DC Landmark

Mike — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:24:30 -0000

I remember hearing this fun fact on 5 Takes: USA (I think): "The Washington Post commented that Ben's Chili Bowl is 'probably the only business on this strip that survived both the 1968 riots and the construction phase of the Metro Green Line.' "

Apparently that entire area has been torn down and rebuilt many times over and Ben's still seems to thrive just as it was so many decades ago.

Sounds like a great meal!

Re: My 31st Birthday Dinner At Delhi Club

Mike — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 09:08:15 -0000

That food looks incredible, Dave. Happy birthday!

Re: Q3 Savings Update for My Trip Around the World

Mike — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 09:25:26 -0000

Glad to hear I'm not the only geek using ETrade's Mission Impossible-style banking technology. =P I'd be interested to hear how it works out for you, Dave.

Re: Two Travel Bloggers Meet At An Irish Pub…

Mike — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 09:59:45 -0000

That's awesome, Dave! I've been thinking a lot lately about how cool it would be to meet up with some of the folks from this great little travel community.

Unfortunately, northern Rhode Island is not tops on most folks' list of "Awesome Places to Visit Around the World" so I guess I'll have to get the hell out of RI to actually see anyone else. =P

Re: Obtaining My Certificate of Title For a Vehicle

Mike — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 10:53:55 -0000

Congrats, Dave! I'm admittedly jealous of anyone who has zero debt. I was still in puberty the last time I had the feeling.

Re: Plotting A New Life Via Whiteboard

Mike — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:40:36 -0000

Life on a white board? It's very "Office Space" - I like it!

I just started seeing the commercials for "Everest 2". I figured last season was just a one-off mini-series but I'm so stoked that it wasn't.

Re: 3 Ways I Am Spending $$ Earned From Selling My Possessions

Mike — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:45:10 -0000

Hey, Dave, my girlfriend goes to massage therapy school. Her school (and most other MT schools) offers discounted massages for anyone who calls and makes an appointment. If there are technical schools in your area with a MT course, you can likely get a professional full body massage for less than $20. These students are typically in their last month before actually getting certified. I can attest that they do a great job and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than going to a spa, physical therapist, etc. It might be worth looking into to save a few $$.

Re: Introducing “Dare Me!”

Mike — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:51:38 -0000

I love this idea, Dave - very cool! I'll have to think up something fun/embarrassing for you to do. ;)

Re: Pack It Up, Pack It In

Mike — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:20:56 -0000

Dave, I've never enjoyed watching a video about someone else moving so much. It's so easy to live vicariously through all of the steps leading up to your trip. It seems like not that long ago your trip countdown was around 100 days. Now - just a month away!

Re: Resignation Day – Goodbye TPS Reports, Hello World!

Mike — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:37:07 -0000

Congrats, Dave. It seems like this would be one of the hardest pre-trip things to do, especially if you like your job. I'm sure everything will only get easier for you from here!

Re: Driver Found – VW Sold – Good Times Ahead

Mike — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 09:49:23 -0000

Wow that all happened relatively quick, Dave. Usually selling a car is a big hassle. I'm glad everything went smoothly for you.

Re: Video: Absinthe Shot

Mike — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 13:23:21 -0000

Holy crap, Dave - only 5 days to go!

I'm with Kirsty - you've got quite the strong stomach. For your liver's sake, I hope you didn't have to do multiple takes (and multiple shots) for this video!

Re: Thank You’s

Mike — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:51:09 -0000

Best of luck, Dave! I'm quite jealous to say the least!

Re: Packing List

Mike — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 10:36:30 -0000

Dave, you should send this over to Justin Glow at Gadling for their "What's in Your Pack?" feature. I think he's still looking for submissions.

Re: Nerd Alert: Let’s Get Logistical

Mike — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 12:24:00 -0000

Way cool net cafe, Dave! I honestly can't believe you've been gone 3 weeks already.

Re: Fear Factor: Riding the World’s Highest Swing

Mike — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:51:20 -0000

You're a bigger (and crazier) man than I, Dave. My bowel evacuation probably would've been captured about a minute in to Video #1.