Bryan Crosby Dot Ca

Below you will find a number of entries that I wrote mainly while on the train from Vladivsotok to Irkutstk.  Some are related to Japan and others to the actual train trip but I haven’t placed them in order because, as usual, internet prices are high and I’m not keen on using my $4/hour net [...]

Traveling the Trans-Siberian Railway is really traveling the Trans-Siberian railway. Lots of traveling and not much doing. This fits rather fine with me since I fall into the category of a person who enjoys the traveling aspect of new countries. I enjoy seeing and doing things as well, but I can quite happily stare out [...]

<!– @page { size: 21cm 29.7cm; margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } –> I have been told that this city is nicknamed the “San Francisco of the East” – It appears that eastern nations have a fascination with comparing their cities and areas with those of their western counterparts. For example, I often [...]

One of the most interesting and relaxing experiences I had in Japan was spent in Japanese baths and traditional Onsen (hot springs) and one regret was that I didn’t have enough time to visit some of which are apparently the best Onsen in Japan – which are just outside of Tokyo. Baths and Onsen – [...]

Consider a 42 BC ferry voyage and you may develop an appreciation for the Fushiki-Vladivostok passage. Actually, it is not that bad, but both beasts move at approximately the same speed. But BC Ferries doesn’t offer beer, live music, free food, hair-dressing services, a duty-free shop and blaring Russian sitcoms. Maybe they should… While I [...]

I’m keeping my posts short because I’d like to keep my internet bar time to a minimum because in addition to hourly rates, users are also charge a bandwith premium.  Traveling the eastern seaboard of Russia (namely Vladivostok) is no walk in the traveling park.  It’s not impossible, or even difficult for that matter…just frustrating.  [...]

Travel karma levels appear to be maintaining as I enter phase two of my ’08 travels. The Fushikiki/Vladivostok ferry berth purchase went through today and I’ll be able to pick up my ticket tomorrow morning before departure at around 6pm. However many question marks still remain regarding the Trans-Siberian ticket situation, the validity of my [...]

“To lead a life surrounded solely by one’s favorite things, to make it more comfortable it such is your wishes, this is an article that best suites the purpose”. Water kettle scripture – Kyoko Ryokan, Kyoto, Japan I was going to lead into this entry with a post regarding the things I’ll remember most about [...]

Life in the Big Red without a passport is like life without arms or legs – you are consistently denied service, forced into a helpless infant like position in which you must rely upon many others for otherwise simple and menial tasks. For the record…yes I do have numerous copies of my passport (which is [...]