There are two ways to reach Canada from East Asia: a short way back, and a long way.

That’s not a metaphor. One is literally 10,799 kilometres, while the other is closer to 15,444. According to this online distance calculator, when I tried to drag the location marker across to Toronto from Busan over Europe, by around Iceland it simply suggested flying over the North Pole instead, which is apparently more aerodynamically logical.

This author chose, if the big blog title up there wasn’t clear, the long way. Which is to say the heavier way, the way not of convenient planes but of movement by whatever means possible. Literally, the down-to-earth way.

Things this blog aims to accomplish:

• Tell honest stories from around the world;
• Offer realistic postcards of countries you (the reader) might not have the opportunity to experience firsthand;
• Avoid whitewashed and/or self-indulgent “Travel is awesome!” narratives, which put a necessarily positive spin on things, purportedly inspiring you to travel. (This blog assumes that you already do want to travel and merely tries to fill in your gaps of practical knowledge and literary thirst.)

WHO IS BEHIND THIS

I’m a Canadian-born freelance journalist, occasional photographer, sometime-videographer and surprisingly qualified English teacher. It’s possible you’ve seen my name on the front page of National Post or the travel section of the Globe and Mail, or (less likely) in various magazines and websites stationed in Halifax (Canada) or Busan (Korea). Other travel writing cred extends to BootsnAll, GoMad Nomad, and Unanchor and Travelmag.

If you’re still curious, head over to my personal portfolio website.