After more than two years of staying in America, I finally made a return trip to Europe! My wife and I decided to spend our vacation in southern Germany. Why Germany? It was mostly personal interest, but I have to say Germany deserves more credit as a travel destination. It has everything you’d want in … More Germany: My Re-Introduction to Travel in Europe
May, 2019 It’s 8:00 am, and I’m wandering a mostly empty airport terminal looking for the bus stop. Or maybe this is a bus station, I’m not sure which. There are lots of barely staffed counters with illuminated signs. My wife and I exchange weary looks and keep walking. After wandering for a few minutes, … More Toledo, Spain: Traveling into the Past
It’s hard to describe the feeling of open space in Arizona. The feeling of being on another planet, where all the familiar scenery of home is missing. Instead you see red rock, blue sky, and a few scrubby plants. And if you drive a short way, you’ll see a completely different scene. In May, I … More Road Tripping Through Arizona’s Faraway Landscapes
As we reach the one-year mark on the pandemic, I find myself thinking about places that have left the biggest impression on me. Near the top of that list is Seville, Spain. It’s not just the sights or the scenery that made it truly memorable to visit, but some elusive mix of everything that combined … More Seville: Memories of a Magical City
Asheville, North Carolina. I park on the top floor of a nondescript parking garage. The sun is bright, it feels harsh in the winter breeze. I head across the street and walk through a tall, arched door. The Grove Arcade is a grand space from an age of boundless optimism. Inside, it opens into a … More How I Spent One Day in Asheville (and Why I’m Going Back Soon)
Seven months into the pandemic, I didn’t know what to do. After a summer of backup plans, I really wanted to travel. But, you know, there was a global pandemic still. Where could I go? Would it be safe? Would it even be fun? I took ten days off from work and started working on … More I Went on a Solo Road Trip During the Pandemic
Welcome to 2020: the year of backup plans. After six months of staying home and trying to isolate myself, I needed to take a trip somewhere. My wife and I both wanted something summer-y, maybe with a beach. So we reviewed the travel restrictions and advice, and we decided the safest thing to do was…to … More A Socially Distanced Beach Escape to…Ohio?
When I visited Venice in 2019, the city was hit with some of the worst flooding it’s ever seen. A lot of the things I expected as a first-time visitor were, well…different. Places closed, plans changed, and my feet ended up getting pretty soggy. But I ended up having a good time anyway in Italy’s … More How to Visit a Flooded Venice During Acqua Alta
They call it the Eternal City; a city of mythic proportions and endless history. Long ago it was the center of a vast empire, and it has been welcoming travelers for centuries since. Today it’s the capital of Italy, a country whose amazing culture, food, music, and art need no introduction. What could I, a … More Rome: Reflections from a First-Time Visitor
Crazy, right? Why am I starting a travel blog in 2020, the year that shut down world travel? It’s simple: I love traveling, I think everyone should do it, and I’m determined to help other folks travel more. Not so easy as of summer 2020, I admit, but I’m playing the long game here. I’ve … More Why I Started a Travel Blog in 2020
The PirateKingMax Adventure Blog 