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Author Archives: Jean Nguyen
Before Going to Egypt
For an incredibly foreign country, I can’t imagine any tourist or traveler arriving to Egypt without having done any prior research. Upon my homework, I repeatedly came across the same information: 1. Since the revolution of 2011, tourism in Egypt … Continue reading
Maasai Mara
Any online search for 3-day/2-night Maasai Mara safaris in western Kenya will show luxury options upwards of $800-$1,000 per person. Searching for budget options still resulted in $450-$500 trips per person. Seriously? What the hell. Fortunately while volunteering in Kenya … Continue reading
Coffee and Tea Plantations
According to worldatlas.com, Vietnam is the world’s 2nd largest producer of coffee, and the world’s 7th largest producer of tea. Also in the list of top world producers is Kenya, the world’s 15th largest producer of coffee and 3rd largest producer of tea. … Continue reading
Posted in Kenya
Tagged coffee, coffee farm, coffee plantation, fairview coffee estate, kiambethu tea farm, nairobi, tea, tea farm, tea plantation
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Nairobi: Elephants & Giraffes, Oh My!
Full day tours of Nairobi cost about $100, with the highlights being the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Center. However, visiting both places independently will cost less than $20 and requires only a half day. Traveling by bus … Continue reading
Posted in Kenya
Tagged david sheldrick wildlife trust, elephant orphanage, giraffe center, matatu, nairobi
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Why I Won’t Visit Kibera, Africa’s Largest Urban Slum
The idea of touring a neighborhood simply for photographing and gawking over a community’s appalling living conditions has never appealed to me. I mean, how would you feel if the top 1% came to your neighborhood, your home, and took … Continue reading
Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park lies at the Kenya-Tanzania border with grand views of Mount Kilimanjaro looming in the distance. Hoping to witness the iconic Kenyan landscape, I meticulously planned an independent, budget trip to Amboseli for my first ever game drive without … Continue reading
First Impressions of Hospitable Kenya
Little did I know that I would end up waiting for almost 4 hours for my pick up from the time I stepped out of Nairobi’s international airport…at 2:45am. Sitting on the sidewalk with my bags watching groups of tourists … Continue reading
King’s Canyon and Sequoia
California boasts the highest and lowest points in the U.S. at Mount Whitney and Badwater Basin. In addition to that, California also has the 2nd oldest national park in America (after Yellowstone), which is home to the largest trees in the … Continue reading
Posted in California
Tagged congress trail, kings canyon, paradise valley, sequoia trees
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Ghost Town Bodie
Ever since I stumbled upon Rhyolite, a ghost town of respectable size in Nevada, I learned more about the handfuls of poignant mining/gold rush ghost towns of California. Of the ghost towns, Bodie was the most notable but relatively distant … Continue reading
Bristlecone Pines
I had just learned about the ancient bristlecone pine trees—the world’s oldest known trees—at Great Basin National Park, and my fascination with them plus further research led me to the discovery of the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. During my side … Continue reading
Posted in California
Tagged ancient bristlecone pine, bristlecone, inyo national forest, methuselah
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