I’m Starting a Travel Blog

Posted on by mfraiman

DEAR READERS,

I’m not entirely sure why you follow this blog, or read things I write, but I appreciate you nonetheless.

I’d like to point out that I’ve begun a new project, A Long Way Back, a travel blog meant to detail my three-month trip to reach Canada from Korea. The plan is tentatively to spend one month in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Borneo, Malaysia, Indonesia); a few weeks in India, undecidedly the north or south; a few weeks in the Middle East (possible stopover in Dubai, certainly Jordan and Israel); then one month crossing Europe by train and plane to fly back to Toronto (maybe via good ol’ Halifax) in time for mid-December.

Right now the blog offers only a few reposted stories from this site and around the web, but I’ll be updating it with stories from around the world for the rest of 2013. I’d appreciate any follows, hits or comments (advice?) you can spare.

Thanks,

Michael

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On North Korea: Everything’s Great; Nothing’s Wrong

Posted on by mfraiman

I had the chance to chat with Blair Sanderson the other day, a CBC News journo from back in Halifax. Appreciated that the folks back at Mainstreet remembered me well enough to tip him off that I was here. Here’s Blair’s piece in full:

I don’t say much, but there it is.

Two Days in Busan

Posted on by mfraiman

To only see Seoul on a Korean vacation is an absurd task. Like an all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue, you simply can’t experience all the city has to offer in the unfortunately short time you have. (And, also like the barbecue, you leave feeling bloated and confused, wondering where all your money went.)

Enter Busan. Busan is Korea’s second city: its Los Angeles, Lyon or Montreal, sitting on the southeast coast of the Pacific. There are five mountain ranges, six sunny beaches and noticeably few worthwhile touristy spots. This is nice. It means that, as a visitor, you can go to the country’s largest markets and be surrounded by locals who are there to actually shop; climb a mountain and you’ll be surrounded by Korean hikers. From a tourist’s perspective, it’s humbling.

I am, of course, biased, having lived in Busan for nearly two years and having visited Seoul precisely thrice. To be honest they’re both beautiful, graceful and bustling metropolises—but, as with any city that’s not the country’s largest, Busan just feels cozier. This two-day itinerary is meant to reflect that.

gamcheon

A full two-day guide for GoMad Nomad – go on! Read it!