Today my Uncle Bill, whom I have affectionally called Uncle B since I first began speaking, turns 95 years old. I am incredibly grateful for him and thankful for his impactful life and his ongoing legacy. Happy 95th Birthday Uncle B! I’ve mentioned Uncle B on several occasions. I give him credit for this blog […]
T-Mobile Becomes Even More Valuable
T-Mobile is adding 55 countries to its international data plan while slightly raising the cost of international calls. Yesterday afternoon I received a text message from T-Mobile: Important msg from T-Mobile: We noticed you make calls while abroad. We’re updating our Simple Global calling rates and including more countries beginning on 8/1/18. Visit t-mo.co/2LdhBB3 to […]
Which Countries Are Covered by T-Mobile International Plan?
Kyle wrote a great piece yesterday on why he is sticking to T-Mobile despite its flaws. I share in his assment, even as I spend this week in two countries that are excluded from T-Mobile’s international “Simple Choice” plan. Which countries are covered under T-Mobile’s international plan? Here’s a list of countries, grouped by region, […]
Longyearbyen to Stockholm via Tromsø on SAS
It was time to leave Longyearbyen and I was very sad to go. That said, the weather had turned decidedly chilly, with a cold pelting rain greeting us on our final morning. One other tidbit on Longyearbyen: no one locks their doors. We had left our bags with Kai, our Air BnB host, when we […]
Where to Eat in Longyearbyen
On a remote island in the Arctic Circle halfway between the northern tip of Norway and the North Pole, where do the ~2,000 residents go out to eat? Would it surprise you to know one restaurant has a wine cellar with 20,000+ bottles? There are a handful of restaurants in Longyearbyen, but I am only going to discuss […]
Exploring Pyramiden with Two Armed Female Bodyguards
There was one thing I did not mention in my earlier piece on Pyramiden: there are polar bears roaming around. America is not the only home of gunslingers: in Svalbard and particularly on Pyramiden, you don’t go outside without a rifle or someone with a rifle. You never know when a polar bear might come charging at […]
Why Pyramiden is a Must-See (Photo Tour)
Let’s play a game of imagination. Imagine a thriving village bustling with hard working men and women who have left the comforts of home to serve the motherland in a far corner of the world. Imagine a formal dining hall with soaring murals on the wall, a beautiful gymnasium and pool, a high-tech hospital, and […]
Fascinating Soviet Hotel Experience on a Russian Island in Norway
While most people just spend a few hours touring around the mostly-abandoned Russian mining settlement of Pyramiden, you’re invited to stay the night. That’s what I did. After the mine closed in 1998, the island’s population sank from over 1,000 to zero. Buildings stood abandoned and it looked much like Chernobyl: everything was left behind suddenly. In my […]
Why I Chose Airbnb in Longyearbyen, Norway
For months I had a room reserved at the Radisson Blu Longyearbyen Hotel for about $270/night after taxes. But in the end, I cancelled it and went with an Airbnb rental. One, Lucky decided to book his trip to Longyearbyen months after I booked mine and concluded his trip about a month before mine. Not that […]
Review: Oslo to Longyearbyen in SAS Plus (“Business”)
At 2hr,55min, Oslo to Longyearbyen is the longest domestic flights on the SAS route map. How does service look on a flight that long in SAS Plus? After spending half the afternoon and entire evening the SAS Gold Lounge, it was time to board our flight, one of the last of the night from Oslo […]
I am Spending the Night in an Abandoned Russian Mine!
Tonight should be interesting — I’ll be staying at the Tulpan Hotel in Pyramiden, an abandoned Russian mining community in Svalbard, Norway. I’ve ordered the “Soviet accommodation” and will be cut off from the outside world until tomorrow, for I have been warned there is no internet on the island. Currently I am in a guesthouse in Longyearben […]
